His Duty Comes First
by Lady Nephenee Ranulf
Summary: FE8 AU. Seth is captured by Valter en route to Frelia, leaving one Princess Eirika to carry on...but this time without her most loyal knight. VSE, onesided IE, more TBD
1. Prologue

One night, I was typing a chapter for one of my stories. All of a sudden, a very nice looking plot bunny came up. I said hello and gave it a thought carrot. Then it bit me rather viciously, and suddenly I received the idea for this story. My angst muse decided to give me a shove in what she deemed to be the right direction, and so I found myself typing this up.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones.**

Seth was well aware of how harsh his breathing sounded. He was well aware of the blood tricking down his side. And he was well aware of the danger that his charge, the Princess of Renais, was currently in.

"Seth…your wound…you really must-"

"I'm sorry, Princess, but I cannot allow my well-being to stand in the way of your safety."

"But-"

"I have sworn to protect you with my life, Princess. I will not fail your father."

"If you must…" Eirika gave a small sigh. _If only Seth wouldn't be so stubborn…_

The horse carrying its two bone-weary passengers plodded on through the growing darkness.

Suddenly, there was the twang of a bowstring. Instinctively, Seth pushed Eirika down, causing the feathered bolt to plunge into his left shoulder. He let out a hiss of pain. Reaching slowly towards his left shoulder, the Silver Knight steeled himself, and then yanked the arrow out with all his might. Eirika flinched when his already pale face blanched even more.

"Seth- we really must stop. At this rate, you are going to-"

"Princess- I know my duty. I cannot stray from it," Seth forced out amidst gritted teeth.

"Seth…" Eirika whispered.

Another hiss from the invisible bow. This time, it passed barely over their heads into the shadowy distance. This time, however, a voice came with it.

"You IDIOTS! I told you to hit their HORSE! I want those two alive!"

"Valter..!" Eirika gasped, "He's catching up!"

"We need to go faster," murmured Seth. He pushed the horse into a gallop. A sharp pain seared through his head.

"Ugh…!"

"Seth! Are you…?" Eirika looked in concern.

"I'm…" Seth's vision clouded. He fought to stay conscious, even for one more minute. _I…must…insure…her…safety…_It was draining him to keep the fog that threatened to overcome him. His awareness was quickly fading.

"Seth- we need to-" Eirika was interrupted when another arrow streaked by.

"Come now, _Princess_ Eirika, give up now and spare us all the further trouble. Your escort looks as if he's about to faint." General Valter's mocking voice boomed out through the canyon, spitting out her title scornfully.

"Never, Valter- I will never give up. You will not accomplish what you want, _General_." Eirika retorted.

"Princess…no…don't…" Eirika suddenly remembered Seth at the sound of his faint voice. She spun around in the saddle to find the Silver Knight half slumping onto her, blood streaming from his side and shoulder.

"Seth- just hold on! We're almost there! Just hold on!"

"I…leave…don't…worry…about…" Seth's voice faded off, and he lurched backwards, tumbling out of the saddle and onto the ground with a resounding thump, the darkness overtaking his world.

"SETH!" Eirika shrieked. She was about to pull back on the reins and go help him when she was alerted to the flapping of leathery wings. _Oh no! I can't let him catch me! _Eirika thought wildly. She was about to tell herself that Valter be damned- Seth needed help and that came first-- before his previous words suddenly came to mind:

"_I have sworn to protect you with my life, Princess. I cannot fail your father."_

"_I cannot fail your father."_

_Father…_

"Seth…" She looked back at his prone figure. "I'm so sorry…" Spurring the horse onwards, Eirika escaped into the night. _I hope you understand, Seth…it's like you said..._

Meanwhile, a very unhappy General Valter had since landed and dismounted.

"Fools! I told you to not let her escape!" He growled.

"I-I-I'm sorry sir, but we…"

"No buts! You let the princess get away!" Valter hissed, kicking the ground in frustration, stopping short when his foot suddenly hit something soft.

"Hmm? What do we have here…?" Calling for a lantern, Valter stooped down to examine the mystery object.

"It's a man, sir!" One of his men reported, "I believe he was the princess's escort from the looks of his armor. He doesn't seem to be in very good shape- his blood loss is high."

"Is that so?" Valter gave a demonic grin and nudged the unconscious man over with his boot, who gave a low moan. "Ah, my little toy…come back to play. Oh, we will have fun." Turning from Seth's prone figure, he raised his head.

"Men! Secure this man and take him back to the capital. I will interrogate him there."

"Yes sir!" Instantly, one of the soldiers dragged Seth to his feet and bound his hands behind his back before slinging him aboard a wyvern.

"Oh- and one more thing- don't touch him until I come personally. I want him to be in prime condition for questioning. Take care of those wounds and make sure he doesn't budge or die on me. I don't want my entertainment to be spoiled," -he gave them all a hard glare- "and neither do you, for all of your sakes."

A nervous chorus of "Yes sir!" filled the air as the men began carrying out their superior's orders.

Valter gave one last glance at Seth before mounting and taking to the air. _You seem like a tough one to crack. I will personally enjoy this. Just watching you writhe in pain will be enough._

_/Break/_

Eirika slowed her horse down to a trot as she approached the town of Ide, just into the Frelian border. Heaving a sigh of both pain and tiredness, the Princess of Renais headed slowly towards the castle that sat on the hill looking down on the small hamlet. She barely noticed when Franz rode up to her. She barely saw his concerned look for the shadows under her eyes and her slumped over appearance. She didn't even know he was there until he asked her:

"Where's the General?"

Eirika sat up with a jolt.

"What, Franz?"

"I was, ah, just was, uh, wondering where General Seth was."

Eirika hung her head and whispered, "He's…not here."

Franz's eyes widened. "Where is he? He can't have just let you keep going by himself! He's…he's…he hasn't…has he…?" The sad look in Eirika's tired eyes told him that his worse suspicious were true.

"He…who…how…?"

"It was this wyvern rider. His name was…Valter, I think. Seth…was injured. He told me to keep going. And then he…he fell off. He had taken another wound, you see- an arrow. I think Valter had archers set up. And he…he…oh he…oh Franz! I couldn't bear to look back…!" Eirika burst into tears.

"I…I don't believe it…General Seth…he was the best…" whispered Franz, himself getting a little teary-eyed. Then, he sat up straighter. "But I guess he knew that he had to do his duty. He was looking out for you, Princess. The fact that you're here safe and sound is good news for all of us."

"Yes, I know…but…but I could have saved him, Franz. I could have held on tighter…or something! I don't know, but somehow…I feel guilty about this. Like Seth getting taken by the enemy is my fault…" Eirika trailed off.

"It's not your fault, princess," Franz said firmly, "If anyone's to blame, it's those dastard Grado soldiers. They're the ones, princess. And we're not going to let them beat us, now are we?" He asked.

"You're right, Franz. I can't let them get me down. I have to keep fighting until Renais is free once more- for Seth's sake, for my father's sake, for everyone's sake." Eirika sat up in her saddle, looking more determined.

"That's the spirit, Princess Eirika," Franz responded.

"Yes. And maybe, while we're on our journey, we'll find Seth! I know he's alive, I just know it!"

"Mmhmm…"

"And then we'll rescue him…together!" Eirika said forcefully.

"That's right! We'll do it together," declared Franz. "Now for starters, let's get you to that castle over there, alright? Princess Tana's waiting for you, you know."

"Tana? Really?" The princess seemed cheered up quite a bit right now, although the young knight knew it was only temporary.

_General Seth…wherever you are…I hope you'll be alright. I'll do my best in your stead with the Princess, but I'm not sure if I can keep her moral up long enough…_

_To Be Continued…_

A/N: Well, I've decided that the plot bunny is worth listening to, so I'm going to continue this and not just let the little thing stand there and shake its paw at me all day long. Please tell me what you think. If I don't get any response, or no one likes it, I'll take it down. In terms of pairings, I'll have SethxEirika, maybe some one-sided InnesxEirika just to spice things up, and more to be determined. The rating also may go up…depending how violent it gets.

And by the way, I know this chapter wasn't very angsty, but trust me- it WILL get pretty intense.


	2. Seth Part I

I am uploading chapters in a way that it will switch between Seth's and Eirika's tales. That way, I will not have you all bored with giant chapters, and I will not have to cut some of them shorter to make room for the other's part.

One last thing- thank you to all the anonymous reviewers since I can't send you review replies.

**Warning: **This chapter contains some torture/violence scenes. If you do not enjoy reading about this sort of stuff, then by all means stop reading now and have a nice cup of tea. If you continue and discover you hate this stuff- don't blame me.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.**

_Seth Part I: Get Used To The Feeling_

He awoke to a world of pain. Everything hurt- from his brain to his feet. It took a stupendous amount of effort on his part just to crack one amber orb open and peer around to see…

Stone. Iron.

He put in a little more effort and managed to open the other eye.

Still the same. But then, what had he expected? Shaking his head slightly to wake himself up, Seth stared again into the deadpan of gray and black. A slight trickle of blood was running down his face and dripping onto his bare chest. It was annoying, but he couldn't wipe it away. _One of the downsides of being chained up by your arms _Seth noted wryly. His feet were aching something awful from supporting his weight for what he supposed was more than twenty-four hours.

It was in all a rather pitiful situation for the Silver Knight to get himself into.

And it didn't help that he was freezing to death too. At least he wasn't completely undressed-- he still had his pants- and he hoped- his dignity.

Shifting slightly to find a more comfortable position, Seth winced as his not-yet-healed side wound let itself be known.

"Aww…is the poor man hurt? Does he want a hug?" asked a mocking voice from the shadows.

"What? Who's there?" Seth was up and alert, peering around for the form of which that self-serving voice belonged to.

"Oh, I'm ashamed that the great and glorious Silver Knight has forgotten me so quickly!" The owner of the voice came forward and presented a sweeping bow to the chained man.

"General Valter, also known as the Moonstone, at your service! But, I'm sure you already knew that." The man straightened up with a massive grin pasted on his face while pushing his long tangles of hair back haughtily.

"What do you want?"

"Oh my, so terse! Well, Sir Seth, you are my guest, if I would use such a term."

"What do you want? I know you have an ulterior motive behind all this foppery. Now, what do you want from me?'

"Oh, so you don't like introductions…shame. Well, General, I am in need of a little information."

"And what kind would that be?"

"Oh…maybe something gravitating around a certain pair of twins and…one Sacred Stone?"

"I know nothing of the Sacred Stone of Renais, only the legend from which it appears."

"Are you so sure? I know how much that fool Fado trusted you. And I know that the emperor wants the bracelets that the twins carry. Now, there has to be a connection. Tell me, and maybe I'll make the game a little easier on you." Valter said smugly.

"Game? Who said anything about a game?" Seth demanded. However, a sick feeling was rising in his stomach. Knowing Valter, it would probably be very painful.

"Oh, the rules are quite simple, Sir Knight—just like any interrogation. Pain will be coming your way, whether you like it or not. However, I might spare you from the worst of it if you comply."

"And if I refuse?"

"You know what the answer is. I thought you would have been intelligent enough to realize it." So that was his choice. Answer and save himself from some of the pain, or refuse and suffer in silence. Seth knew the answer in an instant. It was so simple:

"Valter- I will not tell you anything, no matter how painful the retribution is. Yes, my life is at stake, but so is the future of Renais. And I will not doom my country."

Valter sighed and motioned with a hand. "One, please."

A searing pain tore through Seth's back, and he let out an involuntary hiss of pain. Craning his head back, he saw a whip retreat into the darkness.

Valter walked up and grasped Seth's chin firmly with one gloved hand. "It will only get worse. Now tell me- _where is Princess Eirika?_"

"What?"

"Don't play with me, filth- where the hell is she? You two were riding towards Frelia, but for all I know the wench could be heading to Jehanna." Valter released Seth from his hold and began pacing back and forth.

"I will never tell you."

"Very well. Keep going, Raef. Do not stop until I tell you." Another crack of the whip. Seth buckled forward from the force, holding his tongue tightly between his teeth.

_Don't scream, don't scream, don't scream, don't scream, don't scream…_

"Now, I will ask you again- where is Princess Eirika?"

"Somewhere- you will- never- find- her." It was hard to answer questions when he kept getting thrown forward from the force.

"You know, this loyalty of yours is so impressive. I would like to know where this devotion to your darling Princess springs from. Do you…love her, perhaps?"

"What- would- you- know- about- love?" Seth spat. The whip was falling continuously, just as Valter had ordered.

_Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it…_

"Oh, more than you do, evidently. I know your type, Sir Seth. You are exactly like my fellow _general_ Glen—chivalrous, outstanding moral fiber, loyal; everything that the perfect _knight _needs. Unfortunately, in the midst of all your 'knightly duties', you fail to realize the important things in life."

Seth was too focused on the pain to answer. Blood was oozing down his sides in streams, and his back was on fire. Every nerve was screaming.

_Resist, resist, resist, resist, resist, resist…_

He was losing consciousness once again. This time, however, he wanted to.

"Now, now- don't collapse on me, Seth—we've only just begun!" Valter sounded disappointed.

"Ugh…" He had closed his eyes by now, trying everything possible to blot out the awful agony.

"If you insist…" Valter once again motioned with his hand, and the continuous strokes ceased. Seth's body sagged limply.

All he could hear was his breathing. And the blood. The constant drip-drop of _his _blood.

"Since it seems that Eirika is still a touchy subject for you, I'll let you go this time. But remember, it will only get worse. I will crack you, even if you go insane first. Raef? Unchain our friend before you leave." Valter headed for the door.

Raef, whip in hand, grudgingly followed orders, disconnecting Seth's chains from the hook it was attached to. Seth, suddenly overcome with exhaustion and the dead weight of his arms, crashed to the ground, eliciting a guffaw from Raef on his way out.

The door slammed shut, leaving Seth alone in the darkness. Slowly, he rolled off of his back and pushed himself up onto his knees. The slick floor below him squelched with every movement.

Blood everywhere. The salty tang, the bitter red—it was driving him crazy. Using arms shaking with exhaustion, Seth managed to get to his feet and stumble to one of the corners, where he collapsed almost gratefully before succumbing to darkness.

_Is this what it means to die for your country? Is this what loyalty pays?_

_/Break/_

Valter strode into his quarters. He swiftly walked over to a cabinet, opened it, and extracted a large bottle of whiskey and a shot glass.

Pouring himself a shot, Valter downed it with cat-like grace, slamming the glass down on his desk before falling into the chair that awaited him.

"Damn general and his damn loyalty—it's obvious he's hiding something, but at the rate he's going, he'll die before I have some real fun!" Valter snarled. He was about to go further into his rant when a knock was heard at his door.

"Come in," Valter said with a resigned sigh. Probably just some idiot soldier…

The door swung open to reveal an old man. His face was enough to make the average (and perhaps the abnormal) human cringe, but somehow, Valter seemed more amused by the sight of his colleague.

"Riev! To what do I own the pleasure?"

"Hehehe…oh, you own me none, General Valter. I am just here on a little errand."

"And what would that be?"

"I am performing an experiment in an attempt to create a more powerful sort of soldier—an enhanced one. The perfect killing machine, one might say. It is to be a gift for His Majesty."

Valter toyed with the whisky bottle. "And this involves me how?"

"I am in need of a ripe specimen-one who can hold up to my tests. I have heard that you recently captured…a certain general, yes?"

Valter snorted. "I see it now, you wily old bastard. You want me to give you the Silver Knight- MY prize- for your experiment. And my answer is no. The Silver Knight is mine for the cracking. I will not allow anyone else to rob me of my entertainment." For added effect, he reached for his spear and held it underneath Riev's chin.

"_Even if it means killing my fellow general._" Valter hissed. The demonic look in the man's eyes was enough to convince Riev, who smirked as he backed away from the spear point.

"Well, then—it looks like you are very adamant in your refusal, so I shall bid you good day. Farewell, General Valter." The heretic bishop swept out of Valter's room without another word, closing the door behind him.

"Idiot…the emperor must have been on something when he made that madman a general," Valter growled as he put his spear back in its stand. Pouring himself another glass of whiskey, he leaned back in his chair. "Now, Sir Seth- how will I torment you next?"

Outside of Valter's door, Riev gave a nasty cackle of glee.

"Remember, my dear General- Silver and gold are but earthly matters."

_To Be Continued…_

A/N: Well, here's chapter 2. Yes, it's not as intense as I could possibly make it, but then this would be rather "M". Don't worry- I'll try to make Valter's methods more twisted later. I hope no one minds the addition of Riev to this—he'll play a big part later.

I decided to post it before I posted the next chapter of my other story, seeing as I felt obligated to put one more chapter up just to satiate all you readers before I go on vacation. After this one, my chaptered fics will be updated alternately, so that I can focus on just one story instead of two. This means that updates will be a little long in coming. Hope no one minds.

Side note: I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but Raef is "fear" backwards. I'm not too sure if I'm going to give him a larger role other than the occasional cameo. I have ideas, but none are completely assured. (One being that he will be the villain in the sequel—if I ever write one)


	3. Eirika Part I

And now we're switching from the depressing darkness of Seth's tale to the not-quite-depressing not-quite-darkness of Eirika's tale. Sorry the update took so long- I had to write the next chapter of my other story, which was hard because of my lack of brain cells to churn it out. But I got it finished, so here this one is.

NOTE: I think I said that Eirika arrived in Ide in chapter 1, no? Well, I replayed the game and discovered, to my embarrassment, that it is in fact Border Mulan that Eirika arrives at. So…yeah. Just a correction.

Also, this chapter will be quite long in comparison to others that I have made. In fact, all the chapters are going to get sort of long now that I've gotten started…

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. I wish I did, but sadly, I don't.**

_Eirika Part I: Setting Out_

Eirika paced back and forth in her room at Castle Frelia. After arriving at Mulan, she had insisted on riding for the castle immediately the day after despite Tana's protests.

"_Eirika- you need to rest. You just got here. Please- your father would explode if he knew what you were doing."_

Happy though she was to both see her friend and arrive to safety, Eirika still felt a pang of guilt whenever she thought of the man who should have been here with her. She couldn't stop replaying that scenario over and over in her mind, always stopping at the point where she had just let him go, had just left him behind in the dust. She couldn't stop thinking about what she could have done differently.

_I could have saved him…I could have helped him. Oh Seth…_

Eirika stopped before the foot of the bed in the room and plopped down onto the edge, head in her hands.

"What am I going to do without him? Father- help me."

There was a knock at the door.

"Eirika? Are you in there?"

Eirika sat up. "Tana? Is that you?"

"May I come in?"

"Sure…"

The door opened, and the Princess of Frelia cautiously crept into the room and sat gently beside her friend.

"Eirika- my father wants to talk to you. He's asked that you attend a council of war. He…he wants to know what's happened in Renais."

"Doesn't everyone?" asked Eirika disgustedly.

"Look, I know you're- you're not in the best of moods, but my father wants to help. And he can't do anything if he doesn't know what's going on." Tana rested her hand on the blue-haired woman's shoulder.

"Can't he ask Sir Franz?"

"He's been asked to attend as well, but I don't think the advisors are prepared to take his word for it."

"They would have taken Seth's."

"Yes, I know, but, well, Sir Seth isn't here right now."

There was no response from Eirika.

"Eirika…please?" Tana pleaded. "I'll be there to back you up if you get in a rut. So will my brother."

Eirika's head shot up. "Innes is here?"

"Yes. He's just arrived from the front. Father summoned him to inform him on the situation, as well as report on the latest from the war."

"Oh. I see." A couple of tense moments went by.

"Well, Eirika?"

The Princess of Renais took a deep breath and stood up. "I suppose that this will have to be done sooner or later, and I might as well get it out now."

Tana smiled before taking Eirika by the hand and leading her off to the conference room.

_/Break/_

"Ah, Prince Innes! Here to bring us news from the battlefield, eh?" piped up one of King Hayden's advisors as a young man clad in green strode into the room. From his seat, the king smiled.

Innes smirked. "Yes, and I suppose you have already garnered much of my exploits from the many rumors swirling around, Phinias (1)."

"Nothing but good news, or so I hear, prince." The old man chuckled.

"You have heard correctly. So far, we have been victorious against our foes."

"Let us hope it stays that way for Frelia. Have you heard that Renais has fallen?"

"Yes- I have heard the rumors." Innes inclined his head towards King Hayden before sliding into his chair with liquid grace. His eye rested on a nervous young man sitting at the end of the table. "And who is our guest?"

The man in question jumped at being addressed. "Sir Franz of Renais at your service, Prince Innes. I-I escorted Princess Eirika here. The king asked me to attend…"

"I see. Eirika is attending this meeting, yes?"

"I-I'm not sure."

"Well, let us hope- ah! Speak of the devil!" Innes said, as the doors burst open, and Tana and Eirika walked into the hall.

"Princess Eirika! I…I…didn't think you were going to come!" Franz exclaimed.

"Well, here I am, Sir Franz." Eirika looked out over the stern faces of King Hayden's advisors before sitting down.

"If everyone is here, then let us commence," intoned the king. "Princess Eirika- you have recently arrived here and bring tidings from our sister nation. Pray tell us of all that has befallen you."

Eirika rose slowly.

"Princess- are you sure…?" Franz asked quietly.

"It's alright, Franz. I know I can do this." Eirika assured him. Clearing her throat and taking a deep breath, Eirika began:

"Members of the Royal Advisory (2) and of the Royal Family, I bring grim news of Renais. You have all heard that Grado invaded recently. In a short period of time, they managed to conquer the entire South and then marched on the capital. My father ordered for me to be escorted to Frelia, alongside Sir Franz and Sir Seth. My father remained behind to guard the castle. Father…King Fado...he is dead."

Soft noises of pity were heard from various members of the council.

"Princess- please correct me if I'm wrong, but did you say Sir Seth escorted you?" spoke up one man from the corner.

"Yes, that is correct."

"Uh oh…" muttered Tana.

"What is wrong, Sister?" Innes asked.

"Sir Seth-well- it's just that he's- oh, you'll see." Tana's eyes were now glued to Eirika's face, which so far held no emotion.

"Then, if you don't mind me asking Princess, where is the General? Should he not be here right now this moment? Does he have some excuse for his absence?"

Eirika stiffened. Tana gave a small squeak. "You can do it Eirika, come on…" she whispered.

"Tana- what in Latona's name is going on here?" Innes hissed.

"Not now Innes!" Tana was peering out from between her fingers. Her knuckles were beginning to whiten.

"Princess Eirika?" the advisor asked hesitantly.

"…Sir Seth is not here because he…was taken by Grado, captured, en route to Frelia." Eirika had gotten it out, although she now looked as if she was about to faint.

A gasp circled the table. The only ones who seemed unperturbed were Tana (who was still clutching her head like it was a precious item of much worth), King Hayden, and Innes, who had instead raised an eyebrow.

"Sir Seth…a prisoner of the enemy? H-how?" gasped Phinias.

"It happened just before we reached the border," began Eirika. Her voice was tight. "Sir Seth had just asked Sir Franz to ride ahead to the border to ask for reinforcements. Then, we were attacked by one General Valter of Grado. We escaped this first confrontation, but Sir Seth suffered a grievous wound to the side."

"I have never heard of this Valter. I should ask my spies to look into him," muttered Innes to no one in particular.

"Sir Seth and I were riding through a canyon. It was about dusk. We came under attack from archers who had been set up to impede our progress. I came to no harm, but Sir Seth was hit by an arrow in the shoulder while trying to protect me."

Another murmur ran around the table.

"Valter had given chase. He asked for us to surrender. I refused. And then…" Eirika stopped. "And then…"

"Go on, Princess," Phinias nudged.

"Sir Seth fell off the horse."

The whole council looked taken aback. Innes almost laughed, but stopped himself. _She's being serious_, he told himself.

"It was from blood loss. I was about to stop and help him, but Valter was catching up. I wanted to help, but I didn't think it would really…make the situation any better." Eirika looked down, clearly feeling very guilty at the moment. There was a terse silence.

"Ah, another question, Princess," another advisor called, "If you are here, and your-ahem- father is, well, gone, then, where is Prince Ephraim?"

"I do not know." Eirika replied. "My brother, as you know, was last seen heading into Grado territory. We lost contact with him not too long ago. I have heard no news of his death, so I assume he must still be alive."

_Heh, _Innes smirked; _Ephraim really has been losing his touch._

"What a precarious situation," King Hayden said, "first the surprise invasion from Renais' longtime ally, then the death of King Fado, and now- the disappearance of Prince Ephraim. Well, gentlemen- I think that is all that Princess Eirika can tell us. We must now decide on what to do next. Prince Innes reports that all is good and well at the Frelian front, so we may allow ourselves a moment to focus on something different- the true intentions of Grado. So far, our spies have not been able to find any evidence of any logical reason for invasion."

"Indeed, how can we end this war quickly without knowing what caused it in the first place?" asked a priestly- looking man sitting to Franz's right.

Innes stood up. "It is obvious what we should do- strike the heart of Grado! Take the capital and the war will be over! (3)"

"Prince Innes, you of all people should know how foolhardy that scheme is! Your own life would be in danger-" One advisor cried.

"In war, all life is in danger," Innes retorted, "it just so happens that mine is royalty."

"Innes, that will be enough," Hayden said firmly.

Innes sat back down, although he looked reluctant to do so.

The rest of the council passed without any resolution being made. Various ideas were scattered around, but none seemed to get anywhere before a fault was found and it was discarded. Finally, King Hayden pronounced the war council adjourned.

"We will continue to keep up our front against Grado's forces and wait for new developments, at which time we will be able to more easily make a decision on this issue. Until next time, gentlemen."

As members swept out of the chamber, Innes made a beeline for Eirika.

"Eirika! I'm afraid that I haven't had the time to say hello properly…"

Eirika smiled. "That's alright, Innes. It has been a while. I suppose we have both been so lost in this conflict that neither one of us had time for pleasantries."

"Yes, the war is certainly taking first priority. When I heard that you had arrived here, I was quite surprised." Innes smiled lightly.

"Yes- well, oh! I think your father is calling me back in, Innes." Eirika turned back towards the council room, but Innes quickly caught up to her.

"Allow me to escort you, Eirika."

"Oh! Well, thank you, Prince Innes." Eirika blushed. Why was Innes being so _gallant_ these days?

They reentered the room together. All had left, except for the king, Tana, and Franz, who now looked slightly less nervous.

"I'm sorry to have called you back on such short notice, but I suddenly realized that there was something I still had to ask you."

Confused, Eirika took a seat. "And what would that be, King Hayden?"

"What exactly are you going to do now? I understand if you wish to remain here at Castle Frelia- Tana would no doubt enjoy that- but I sense a longing from you that I feel may turn your head otherwise."

"Yes, that is true. I want to find Ephraim. I know he is still alive, but I wish to find him and perhaps inform him on all that has happened in Renais. I know he could dearly aid us- he is a brilliant tactician." At this, Innes looked put out. Tana, noticing her brother's scandalized look, giggled.

"Indeed- we could use your brother's insights in the conflict. You told us that he was deep in Grado territory, correct? Perhaps he would know something that could help us bring an end to this war."

"I have also promised that I will rescue Sir Seth. I will not break that promise, no matter how dangerous it is. I feel that it is something that I need to do, perhaps as some sort of atonement for my leaving him behind."

Hayden sighed. "So you plan to leave, Princess?"

"Yes."

"I can tell that there is no stopping you. Therefore, Princess, I will do whatever I can to aid you in your quest. First, I suppose, is the matter of an escort."

Franz leapt to his feet. "I'm going with you, Princess!" Realizing that everyone's stares were now directly on him, Franz faltered.

"Well, what I really meant was that you're not going to leave me behind, Princess Eirika. I mean, I did make that promise with you too…"

"And I have not forgotten, Franz," Eirika said softly, "I'm not going to leave you behind. After all, your brother is riding with Ephraim." Franz smiled at the mention of Forde.

"I will arrange the rest of your escort," Hayden announced. "I suppose you will depart tomorrow at first light, Eirika."

"Thank you for your help, King Hayden- it is most gracious of you."

"Renais has been Frelia's longtime ally- we could do nothing else." The king nodded and then left the room, leaving the four in the room.

"I think it would be best to get some sleep- we all have a long day tomorrow," said Tana, looking at Eirika in particular. All agreed, and the four went their separate ways.

_/The next morning…/_

"Morning, Eirika!" Tana called from the hall as Eirika walked down the staircase. "Father's chosen your escort. I think you're leaving in twenty minutes."

Eirika stopped midway. "So soon?"

Tana ran up to her friend and led her quickly down the remaining stairs. "Yes- but at least you'll have time to say goodbye. Come on! Father's waiting for you."

In the courtyard, King Hayden had just finished addressing the small group of people waiting patiently. At the sound of the two friends' footsteps, he turned.

"Ah! And there they are now. Well, Princess Eirika, allow me to introduce your escort. This is Vanessa, an esteemed member of our pegasus knights,"- a green-haired girl inclined her head gravely- "and Father Moulder, who has long been one of my trusted advisors (4)." Eirika had seen the man at the council- a stoic looking fellow with a rather large moustache.

"Thank you, King Hayden. I leave now to venture abroad, but I vow to return here."

She turned to the siblings. "Tana…Innes…I'll see you soon. I hope that no harm befalls any of us before we meet again."

"I wish you best of luck, Princess," Innes intoned.

Tana hugged her friend and whispered softly in her ear, "You can always count on us for aid, Eirika. We will always be friends."

With her final farewells, Eirika nodded to Franz, who was astride his horse, and then strode through the castle gates.

And thus the quest began.

_To Be Continued…_

Notes:

(1)- Ah…trying to come up with a name for one of the advisors that sounded scholarly. Somehow, the name Phinias kept coming up. Don't ask how.

(2)- Couldn't decide on what they were called. Royal Advisory Board was what it was going to be at first, but then I decided that it sounded too modern. So I scrapped the "board" part. Hope it sounds ok.

(3)- Everyone knows about Napoleonic warfare, right?

(4)- I think Moulder is one of the advisors to the king…right? I can always change the chapter if he isn't.

So here we are at chapter 3! I do apologize for the long wait, but I have been terribly caught up in that net called…real life. For some reason, it's harder for me to write Eirika's tale than it is Seth's. Hmmm…maybe that's because I didn't plan it out as much…either that or it's because so far there's been no action at all in Eirika's tale. Oh well- it'll heat up soon enough. Stay tuned!


	4. Seth Part II

Sorry for taking so long, but I have so much going on it's REALLY hard to write, what with homework, two different instruments, AND basketball.

**Warning: **As with the last Seth chapter, this one contains a lot of heavy material. As I said in the last Seth chapter, if you don't enjoy reading this sort of heavy stuff, then either 1) stop reading the story (which I hope you don't choose) or 2) skip this one and wait for the next Eirika chapter to come out. (Obviously the more palatable of the two for me)

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.**

_Seth Part II: Broken Thoughts_

He had lost track of time. How long he had been stuck in the dungeons of Grado Keep was beyond him. Seth was starting to think that Valter kept him alive only for the sake of watching him writhe in pain; after all, the information he had on him was probably by now useless. It was like a routine. Each day would go by with another "level" in Valter's game.

And it all began with awakening, with forcing his eyes open as cold water shocked him back into reality. Except, that today- or was it night? He could never tell- no seeping coldness awaited him. It was a hand, a rough one at that- directly on his cheek.

"One of the pleasures in life is finding out breaking points- times at which all rationality goes to hell," a voice purred softly.

Seth's eyes snapped open instantly.

"Oh? So you find that intriguing as well? We really do share more in common than I thought," the voice noted amusedly.

Through a pain-induced haze, Seth could make out Valter's dark eyes just inches away. Gasping, he attempted to move back, but the wall prevented his escape.

"And now you're cornered. Don't even think about trying to resist, my scared little puppy." Valter crooned. Grabbing a handful of matted red hair, Valter yanked Seth to his feet with one hand and then effectively pinned Seth to the wall by his neck with the other.

"Valter- what are you-?"

"You are so _irresistible _when you're scared. Your eyes widen, your entire body tenses, you begin to shake. I want you to stay that way all the time. I want you to stay afraid. Hear that? Keep being scared." Valter released Seth's hair, running his now-free hand down Seth's side until it hit the still-healing wound. Suddenly, he dug his fingers into the cut and twisted. Seth hissed in pain.

"That's right- writhe, squirm- ANYTHING, Silver Knight, to resist. You fight it, fight the pain. It makes you so damn admirable." Seth tried to move his arm, but found it pinned by Valter's shoulder.

"You- what are you-?" His mind was panicking as a horrible idea bloomed in Seth's mind. _Latona…was Valter actually…?_

"Yes, that's right- let the fear build up. Let it engulf you…" Valter pressed in closer, and now his hand slid from Seth's side to his cheek, gently tracing the other man's jaw line.

Seth saw it, saw the primeval lust in Valter's eyes. It glittered as the Moonstone grinned evilly. "I can save you from it, Silver Knight. Tell me everything and I'll save you from the fear that will swallow you." He whispered roughly. "I'll save you. Oh, we'll have so much fun together…"

"No. Never." The words sounded rushed, as if Seth was throwing up one last defense as quickly as he could. It was routine; that was all…

"Seth…I wouldn't rush to conclusions if I were you," Valter murmured in his ear. One long finger scraped down Seth's cheek, ripping a thin gash all the way down to the jaw. Seth closed his eyes and resisted the urge to yell. A trickle of blood began oozing down his chin.

"Valter- stop. Now." Seth tried freeing his arm, but found himself caught in the Moonstone's iron grip. There was no escape.

"But we've only just begun…" Valter's tongue swept over the cut, licking up the blood. "Mmm…you taste…delicious…"

He couldn't move. His throat was constricting tightly. His limbs were all quaking. _You're at the end of the string_, his mind whispered.

_Help, anyone, please. Just. Help. Please. _His mind was racing around frantically, desperately.

"Blood, your blood- it's so red. The color of your hair, Seth. It matches." He could tell. Valter was mad. There was no other solution. It didn't make any _sense. _What had he done to deserve this?

"Tell me, Silver Knight. Tell me everything. Your fear…your pain…I will savor it. I will enjoy it. Tell me…" Valter's eyes glittered on as he drew closer and closer to the trapped man. Seth could feel the general's rancid breath on his face. There was no doubt about it- Valter was going to--

"Having fun, Moonstone?" Valter whirled around to find Riev standing smugly at the cell threshold. Releasing Seth, whose body immediately slid to the floor with a thud, the Moonstone advanced dangerously on his fellow general.

"Riev- what the hell are you doing here?" Valter snarled. He walked forward slowly, backing the bishop into the wall.

"Vigarde is asking for you, Valter. I decided that it would be best for you to not keep him waiting for long- you know how his moods are these days."

"Learn to knock, old man. Oh! I forgot! You'll be dead before you do."

"And miss the show? Of course not. You do understand that if the Emperor discovers that his trusted general is having…an _affair_ with the wrong person, then things will go downhill for said general. Besides, Valter, you wouldn't dare kill me. I know you cannot."

"I can and I will, Riev." Valter's hand darted in to take hold of Riev's neck. "You are going to pay for interrupting me," he hissed.

Riev ducked and then with a whirl of his cloak reappeared right behind the irate general. "You'll have to move a bit faster, Moonstone."

"Shut it, you old bastard," Valter spat.

"And you call yourself a general?"

"Spare me the lecture and get the hell out of my sight, Riev. You should thank whatever cursed god you worship that I don't have my spear within reach, or else you'd find yourself skewered on it." Valter's fingers were twitching.

Riev smirked as he headed for the door. "The Emperor is waiting, General Valter."

Valter was about to snap that the Emperor could wait a little longer until he realized exactly what Riev might let slip. "You better not tell _anyone _about this, Riev. Otherwise…" Valter's eyes took on a dangerous hue, and the one thin finger he had pointed at the bishop shook threateningly.

"Oh, don't worry General. I enjoy letting people…_squirm _at bit, if you know what I mean." Riev swept out of the cell without a further glance.

"Yeah, I don't give a damn," Valter retorted to the emptiness. He half-turned towards Seth, but then realized that Riev wasn't someone he could trust to keep promises. "DAMNIT!" Valter dashed out of the cell, slamming the door behind him.

Meanwhile, Riev had ducked into his quarters. A man sat on a nearby couch, but quickly jumped up to bow to his general.

"Tea, Raef?"

"No thank you sir. I need to be gone from here in five minutes before they notice my absence in the dungeons."

"Shame...very well, then. Report." Riev began pouring himself a cup of steaming tea.

"We'll be able to begin the next phase by next week."

"And Valter still does not know a thing?" He took a sip.

"No. He has not guessed anything about me yet."

"Excellent. We will strike in three days. Valter will be out of the capital, so our mission can be attributed to anything that you wish it to be. Do you have an alibi prepared in case our Moonstone returns early?"

"Yes. My death will be faked, and then I'll return to the capital as some other faceless soldier. All we need to do is change the name and hair color."

"Excellent work, Raef. You will be rewarded greatly. In the meantime, keep my prize in good condition, yes?"

"He's fading, sir." Raef warned.

"Do whatever you can, Raef. I don't want iron; I want _silver_. It matters not what state of consciousness he is in, so long as his body is intact."

"I will try my best."

"Good man." Raef bowed again before walking out of the bishop's room.

* * *

Seth leaned back against the damp wall wearily, hissing as his mangled back rubbed against cold rock. Taking a deep breath he reached up and gently brushed his hand down his right cheek. It came away bloody. Reaching up once again, he traced the thin gash that now ran from almost the side of his nose to his jaw. Seth winced; the skin around the wound was still raw. He blinked and shook his head in an attempt to clear his blurred vision, but his eyelids were drooping. The Silver Knight sighed as exhaustion took over and his battered body gave in, aquamarine hair filling his vision.

_I'm surviving…for you…_

* * *

Valter attempted to look interested in what the Emperor was saying. Although he knew that he was supposed to be paying FULL attention, his mind couldn't help straying back to what Riev had said.

"_You do understand that if the Emperor discovers that his trusted general is having…an **affair** with the wrong person, then things will go downhill for said general."_

"…General Valter?" That was Duessel, peering in and looking a tad concerned.

"What?" He asked irritably.

"Please do pay attention," Duessel pleaded.

Valter shot the man a scathing look and returned to half-listening to Vigarde's orders.

"General Valter- I need you to leave at once for Renvall. Our scouts bring news that the Prince of Renais, Ephraim, may perhaps be targeting Renvall for his next attack."

"And what exactly do you want me to do, pray tell?"

Valter smiled: although he couldn't see Duessel directly, he knew that the older man was probably giving him an exasperated look over his lack of respect.

"Find Ephraim and crush him. Kill all who ride with him. I have no need for the Prince of Renais. However, make sure that you take the bracelet that Ephraim wears."

"And this bracelet is significant…how?"

"It is necessary for our grand scheme, General."

"I see. So- ride for Renvall, kill Ephraim and his little gang, and take the bracelet. Is that all, sir?"

"Yes. You are dismissed."

Valter bowed with only a hint of mockery and then almost skipped off to his quarters. A hunt! A battle! All for him…it was like getting a gigantic present.

As he buckled on his armor, Valter laughed. "Just wait Prince Ephraim- soon your head will be gracing my spear point. And oh how your sister will cry. Your precious general as well, I would surmise. No matter. It'll leave him all the more fragile." Valter picked up a goblet sitting on the table and crushed it in one hand, laughing.

"He'll shatter."

_To Be Continued…_

A/N: Okay, please do not kill me for the Valter/Seth. I beg you. I even thought it was a bit "WHOA!" for me, but I did it anyways. Hey- it's AU. The whole storyline's getting trashed by my messed-up mind.

Also, I understand that the whole "Riev interrupts!" thing was a total waste of a possible lemon scene, and very un-climatic, but I'm very bad at lemons, and I wanted Riev to come in anyway. I hope that Valter almost killing Riev makes up for that.

Again, I apologize for the long chapter wait.


	5. Eirika Part II

Eirika paused for a moment to collect herself before looking up at the open gates of Serafew. Just seeing them made memories flood back- memories of her, her brother, and Lyon…She wondered how the prince of Grado was doing right now. He had never been an advocate of war; surely he did not believe in this wanton warfare, did he? She sighed before looking back on her small escort, now swelling to a practical army. After passing through various villages on her quest to find Ephraim, she had found many willing to join the fight against Grado: Sir Garcia and his son Ross, the thief Colm and his often-sobbing friend Neimi, and Artur and Lute.

"Well, we've arrived," Franz said wearily, breaking Eirika's train of thought.

"Yes, we have. I never knew that this place would hold so many memories for me," Eirika responded.

"Well, Princess, if it's too much for you, maybe we should move on and try to find another rest stop?" Franz offered.

"No, no- I'm fine. Besides, Serafew is our last stop before we hit Grado territory."

"I see," the knight said, "We'll see if we can restock here then."

* * *

Natasha ran through the streets of Serafew, breath hitched and robes flying wildly. She looked this way and that in a panicked frenzy. _Oh Latona…please don't let me die before my message is passed on! _

Diving down a side street with the sound of metal on metal behind her, Natasha took a fearful glance behind her. No red armor greeted her. She breathed a sigh of relief. She had lost them. Now she only had to find someone who would listen-

"What are you doing here?" Natasha gasped and whirled around, nearly falling backwards. A man advanced on her, with his red eyes full of curiosity.

"Ah! N-nothing- nothing at all…!" She managed to say.

"I know you're that cleric that they're looking for. Let me see…"-the man began ticking off characteristics on his fingers-"blond, female, blue eyes..."-he sized her up-"yup- you definitely fit the bill."

"You're with Grado?" Natasha asked fearfully. She began backing up slowly.

The man frowned. "Of sorts…"

Natasha stopped. "Then you must understand what I'm about to say! Haven't you seen the changes in Emperor Vigarde? It's-" The man cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"Sorry, but I'm a mercenary from Jehanna. I was hired by these guys. I don't know a thing about what's going on with Grado's emperor."

"Oh…" Natasha's face fell. "Are you going to turn me in?" She asked quietly. Already Natasha could hear the clanking of armor on the cobblestones.

"Now there's a hard choice," the man said thoughtfully. "On one hand, I WAS hired by Grado, but on the other hand you're too pretty to just give away." The man pondered the choice a while before finally reaching into his pocket and pulling out a single golden coin.

"I guess it's come to this. Heads or tails, sister?"

"W-what?" Natasha asked. "Gambling, now?"

"Yeah. If I win, then I'm turning you over to Grado. If you win, then we'll see what happens."

Natasha's breath constricted. "Are you sure this is something you can just pin on a simple game of chance? And why me?"

"I don't know." The man shrugged. "You've got this aura to you that's telling my gut to go against my orders. And besides, isn't that all life is?" The man retorted. "Pure luck, I tell ya. I'm going with my instincts. Now- what's it going to be?"

Searching for anything that came to mind, Natasha finally blurted out, "Tails."

"Right. Here we go." With a well-practiced flick, the man sent the coin spinning into the air. Natasha squeezed her eyes closed tightly. _Latona…I beg you, please let it be tails…_

"Oh- wow…" the man said with a frown, running one tanned hand through messy red hair.

"What is it?" Natasha asked timidly.

"It's tails alright," the red-head said. "Looks like you won."

"I…I did?"

"Yeah, which means that I'm not going to turn you over to Grado. So it looks like I'm going to have to go against my contract." The man sighed.

"I'm sure I can find some way to repay you later for all your trouble," Natasha said.

"I'll take you at your word," the man replied. "So what are we going to do now, miss…?"

"Natasha. Just plain Natasha is fine. And you are…?"

"Name's Joshua. Where to, Natasha?" Joshua asked.

"We need to get out of Serafew, I suppose. No one here will…listen to me."

"Out it is. Come on!" Grabbing her roughly by the hand, Joshua began dashing off into another alleyway.

"Wait! Joshua!"

"No time to lose- oh- damn." Joshua screeched to a halt as red armor clogged all entryways.

"Halt! You there- hired hand- you have the girl?" One of the soldiers demanded roughly.

"Yeah, I do," Joshua said casually. "Unfortunately, I think my deal with you has expired, so I have some new clientele." He looked meaningfully at Natasha.

"Damn mercenaries," the soldier growled. "You never can trust them. Kill them both!" He screamed.

"Oops," Joshua said. "Didn't mean to offend." He drew a wickedly curved sword from his belt. "I guess this can be my coliseum warm-up." He looked back at Natasha. "Don't worry- I'm top-notch. We'll be out of this in a jiffy."

Natasha could only nod weakly and pray.

* * *

"Princess! There's something going on over there!" Franz yelled frantically as he ran towards Eirika.

"What's the matter, Sir Franz?" Eirika asked, frowning.

"A fight! A man and a cleric- they're surrounded by Grado soldiers! I checked the town out- and this place is swarming with their men!"

"What?" Eirika gasped. "We have to help them!"

"Princess- this really isn't the time to go running off helping every person we meet," Franz said nervously. "We really need to get you out of here before they notice us."

"Sorry to interrupt you two," Colm's drawling voice said, "but I think we've already been noticed."

Eirika whirled around, rapier drawn. It was true- Grado soldiers, running from the skirmish in the alleyways, had now caught sight of another glorifying target.

"Men! Forget about the cleric! GET THE PRINCESS I SAY!" roared the commanding knight.

Franz swore. "Blast!" He immediately yanked out his sword. "Are you going to be alright, Princess?"

Eirika nodded as she steadied her rapier into a defensive position. "Of course, Sir Franz." The two charged into the heat of battle, with Franz slightly shielding his charge.

"Watch out for the archers, Lady Vanessa," Moulder called to the woman soaring above before focusing his healing stave on Artur, who had been skimmed by a sword thrust.

"Neimi- look out!" Colm yelled as he shoved Neimi to the side, a fire ball just narrowly missing the two of them. "You need to be more careful! I can't go around making sure you're not getting into trouble."

"I'm sorry Colm…" Neimi let out a prosaic sniff.

Colm let out an exasperated sigh. "Not now, Neimi. Save your tears for later when we're NOT in the middle of a fight."

"I'm sorry Colm…" Neimi let out another prosaic sniff.

"What did I just tell you?" Colm asked, annoyed.

"I'm-"

"Just don't talk right now and concentrate on the fight," Colm said hurriedly.

"Alright, Colm…"

"That's the ticket…" Colm winked before running off again, sword in grasp, to help out Garcia and Ross.

With everyone working together, Eirika's group made short work of the Grado soldiers.(1)

"We've…won." A relieved Franz said.

"You wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't for us," a snide voice said from behind him.

"Hey!" Franz whirled around, peeved.

"Name's Joshua," the red-haired man said, taking off his cap and sweeping it elegantly before him as he bowed. Reaffixing the strange hat to his head, the man continued: "And this is the lovely Sister Natasha." He made a sweeping motion behind him towards the cleric standing beside him. "Glad you could help us- or should I say- glad we could help _you_."

"I am Sir Franz, a knight of Renais," Franz replied stiffly. "Very nice to meet you."

"Hey, hey- we're on the same side," Joshua said with a smile. "No need to get all tense when the fight's just ended."

"Well, if you wouldn't mind me asking, exactly why was Grado attacking you?"

Natasha stepped forward. "It was because of me. You see, I am from Grado, and my mentor, Father McGregor, was recently executed for uncovering the truth. It was written off as treason, but I know that what my mentor discovered was not false. I- he managed to pass on this information to me before he died. Now I must find someone to tell the truth to, so that someone can do something and stop the emperor from continuing this madness."

"Well, I'm not the person to tell it to…" Franz scratched his head. "But I'm sure Princess Eirika will want to know." He called the princess over, who smiled as introductions were once again passed around, with Joshua making the same ridiculous bow, although this time it was much more respectful. The mercenary then excused himself, saying that he had something to attend to at the coliseum.

"So Natasha- there's a reason to Grado's sudden attacks?" Eirika asked curiously when Joshua was out of sight.

"Yes, there is," Natasha affirmed. "The emperor…he plans to destroy the Sacred Stones."

Eirika gasped. "What? Why? The Sacred Stones are the key to preserving peace on Magvel! What would have possessed Emperor Vigarde to do such a thing?"

"That I know not of," Natasha said sadly. "This was all my mentor was able to tell me before he was taken away."

Eirika sighed. "What a dilemma. I truly have no idea of how to proceed. I'm sure my father, Ephraim, or even Seth would have been able to come up with something, but I am simply lost."

"Seth? Do you mean…Sir Seth?" Natasha asked, frowning.

"Yes. He- well…" Eirika trailed off.

"I heard rumors about him in the capital," Natasha said. "Before I escaped…"

"Really?" Eirika asked, struggling to control her excitement and fear. "What- what did they say?"

"Only that General Valter was interrogating him," Natasha said. "Nothing else. I only heard it because these guards were talking about what an impressive feat it was to have captured the Silver Knight…"

"I see. Well, thank you Natasha. What are you going to do now?" Eirika asked.

"I don't know, seeing as my only purpose was to deliver my mentor's message. Joshua- well, he's said that I've hired him."

"Why not travel with us?" Eirika asked. "We could use your healing skills, Natasha."

"In all truth?" Natasha asked.

"Yes," Eirika responded.

"I would be delighted to, Princess Eirika, is it?"

"Yes- that's it. Well, welcome Natasha. I guess Joshua will tag along as well, no?" Eirika remarked wryly.

"Excellent!" Natasha exclaimed. She glanced around. "I think I need to go find Joshua and tell him…" She began heading off to the coliseum in search of the red-head.

Eirika sighed. "Seth…" She stared down at the ground.

Franz caught his breath and dared a glance at the princess. However, contrary to the sad expression he expected her to have, her face tightened with resolve.

"The capital," Eirika whispered to herself. Then, she clenched a fist. "Right!"

Franz jumped. "If you don't mind me asking, Princess, but what are you planning to do?" Franz asked nervously.

"We're going to march straight for the capital," Eirika said, eyes glowing. "As soon as we find my brother, that's where we're going. I made a promise, Franz, and I intend to keep it."

"But- Princess- are you sure? I mean- with the numbers we have right now, we'll never be able to make it. And- shouldn't the war come first?" Franz asked timidly- the lack of "Sir" when she had addressed him had alarmed him.

"We'll find a way, Franz. Seth is in the capital, and I don't know how long we have left to rescue him." Eirika said firmly. Then, her tone softened. "I know it's completely irrational and self-centered on my part, but you must understand…"

Franz nodded. "I do, but- Princess- just don't get too ahead of yourself. You're only one person."

"Thank you." Eirika said gravely. "Now, shall we move out, Sir Franz? I believe we have all of our supplies."

Franz, stunned by this sudden change in tone, floundered back into his usual self. "Of- of course!" He ran off (a bit too quickly in his opinion) to go alert the troops.

Eirika smiled as she watched the young knight begin giving orders. Franz was really coming into his own- she often asked him for advice, and though he had very haltingly given his opinion in the beginning, he was much more confidant in his beliefs now. _I wonder whose influence…?_ She mused.

Joshua and Natasha had since returned from the coliseum, Natasha having successfully diverted the mercenary from whatever "important" errand he had, and were now introducing themselves to the rest of the troops. Looking at the small band of people who so willingly followed her, Eirika sighed.

_Am I doing alright, Seth? Is this the right thing to do? I'm being terribly selfish, but still…I have my obligations. Hold on. I'm coming.

* * *

_

Notes:

(1)-Yes, I am a lazy authoress. I really could not find any way to add more action.

A/N: And once again I apologize for the long wait. I understand that Eirika's part is not as exciting nor is it as, erm, _intruiging_ as Seth's, but please give it a chance. Review, review, review!


	6. Seth Part III

I've actually gotten a chapter out in under a month! I guess it helps though that I started it ahead of time.

* * *

Valter left on a cloudless day. There was no fanfare, no escort to see him off- only the Moonstone and his savage glee. That was just the way he liked it. To Valter, such sweet goodbyes were nothings that could easily be picked up by the enemy. And scaring away the prince would be like scaring a pheasant off when you were a mile away from it. Before leaving, Valter left but one order:

"Keep the Silver Knight alive and fresh."

Raef bowed and murmured his assent, but the bow was only to hide his smile, and the assent only to put Valter off of his tail. He had other plans for Valter's "pet"- plans that would no doubt put said knight to better usage. That night, he placed a pair of guards in front of Seth's cell. "Extra protection- we don't want to get Valter in a fuss," was the only reason given. No one questioned why the guards had been yanked from the patrol that went by Raef's room.

Life went on that day as usual- until night fell. In his room, Raef carefully planned his outfit- completely black, with no distinguishing section (especially his face) left uncovered. His hair- a sort of mousy brown and completely untamable- stuck out at odd angles from under the coverings, but of course, that couldn't be helped. Raef laughed quietly when he regarded his reflection in the mirror. _An assassin is never complete without the proper trappings._ Picking up his tools, he left, locking the door behind him.

It was terribly simple- at ten o'clock; he had pretended to retire for the night. Exactly two hours later, Raef departed his room. Having successfully transferred the guards elsewhere, he was free to leave through his own front door! It was amusing to think how small of brain some of the higher-ups were. He had proceeded to the dungeons, where he had then killed off the two guards. And now he was standing in front of the cell door. Grinning under the mask, Raef pulled the guards' set of keys and unlocked the door, relishing in the click it gave. He gave it a gentle push, making the door swing open with a creak.

Inside that damp little cell, a certain red-head awoke with a jolt of fear when the lock clicked, half-expecting to find Valter towering over him seconds later. However, the door slowly opened with a squeal instead of banging into the adjacent wall. Confused, the man pushed himself up slowly with trembling arms. Moving quickly into the shadow of the door as silently as he could, he awaited the entrance of his unknown visitor, breath hitching.

It would be easy, Raef mused as he stepped into the cell. This mission would be over in a snap of the fingers. Slowly, Raef drew a long thin blade from its sheath at his side. There was a faint metallic whine as the sword emerged from its holder. Faint, yes, but still loud enough to be picked up by one well-trained ear.

Seth knew enough from years of battle that that noise was not something that a rescuer would be making. Inching his head forward, the knight picked out a head of spiky hair poking out from a black bandanna. _Him!_ Seth dropped back, thinking quickly. The door was open. The guards were nowhere to be heard. And Raef had a sword- presumably meant for either having some "fun" or- or…Seth ended his thoughts there firmly. No matter what, this was his chance. Of course, the odds of one starved, weak knight managing to break out of Grado Keep were practically set in stone against him, but he had to try anyway, right? Seth tensed himself, waiting for Raef to get within range.

Raef walked forward cautiously. There was no sign of his prey- a fact that bewildered him. The man had been locked up. Surely he had not escaped…?

Seth knew- it was now or never. Praying to Latona to keep his feet from failing him, the Silver Knight threw his skinny frame at Raef, landing on his back and sending both men crashing to the floor. The sword dropped from his would-be attacker's hand, and with a kick Seth sent it skittering away.

Raef's mind was racing as he struggled to push the other man off of him. How had his prey managed to get on top of him, let alone hear him? It defied all belief- and that was what annoyed Raef. Surely _he _should have the upper hand, not some bastard who was practically skin and bones? Growling in anger, Raef whipped his head back, utilizing a sort of rudimentary head butt. It was on target, however, with the back of his skull colliding with Seth's nose.

"Ugh!" Seth reeled from the force of the blow, and Raef took the momentary distraction to knock his attacker off of him, sending Seth's back hard into the stone floor. Moving quickly away from his target, Raef ran over to his fallen sword, picking it up and pointing it straight at the prone figure on the floor.

"That was lucky," he breathed. "You got damn lucky; that was all. I promise you- that will not happen again."

Seth could not answer, body racked with coughs as he struggled to repress the pain searing across his back. Drawing one palm away from his mouth, he blearily noticed the brilliant crimson splashed across it. Shuddering from memories of the previous day, Seth attempted to stand, only to be knocked over as the flat of Raef's sword smacked him in the cheek. He gasped as the man planted one boot into his shoulder and placed the point directly under his chin.

"I could slit your throat here and now, but that would take away from the enjoyment. Plus, I did promise to bring you in one piece, Silver Knight."

He lifted the point and moved back a bit, spreading his arms wide as if asking Seth to face him. Seth placed one hand against the wall behind him and then pushed himself up onto shaking legs. His eyes locked onto Raef's; waiting for the attack he knew would come. Already exhaustion was setting in, and the knight was blinking furiously to clear his vision.

"Now dance." Raef lunged forward as Seth dove to the side to evade, landing heavily on the stone floor. The sword point struck the wall with ringing force, embedding into stone. Yanking it out, Raef sneered at his prey, who had once again managed by pure will to get back to his feet.

"I know you can do better than that." Raef's taunt rang in Seth's ears. Already he could feel his grip on his anger slipping. What was it about this man that made his blood boil over?

"I'm just getting warmed up," Seth growled.

"I didn't know you had a sense of humor, Sir Seth." Another attack. This time, Seth managed to dodge without losing his footing, turning his body parallel to the blade. He brought one arm down, effectively hitting Raef's sword arm on the wrist. The man yelped before swinging a fist into Seth's face, sending the other man stumbling backwards. Before Seth could recover, Raef had pounced forward, sword again diving inward.

"Ah!" The blade ran through his already-injured side, sending waves of nausea up and down. Seth buckled, one hand clutching the wound.

"Come now, falling so quickly? I thought you would do better, seeing how long you've managed to hold up to Valter's fun and games."

_He's toying with me,_ Seth thought. _He won't kill me until he's had enough fun watching me try to defend myself. _He clenched a fist. With a burst of adrenalin, the Silver Knight leapt at Raef, knocking him to the ground once more. Raef attempted to get up, but found his sword arm pinned by Seth's foot, and the knight's hands at his neck.

"Think you're so- ugh! - smart?" Raef challenged. "Try this!" He swung his leg up to graze Seth's side, which, although very light, was enough to cause quite a lot of pain to an injury still in recovery. As the man's grip slackened from the sudden pain, Raef knocked the knight to the side and then rolled to his feet, sword in hand.

"Trying to strong arm me, eh?" Raef chuckled. "Too bad. If you weren't so torn up, perhaps it would work. But in your state, I'm surprised you can even move that fast." He kicked out, slamming Seth's body back first into the wall.

Seth gagged as he spat out a mouthful of blood, coughing violently. It was too much- he had fought the good fight, and now he was finished. The cold, his injuries, the exhaustion- it was all taking its toll. Trying valiantly to stand one last time- if he died, who could say that he hadn't gone down without a fight? – Seth rose, and then collapsed onto cold stone as another spasm racked his body, crimson spilling from his mouth. Blood-

_The color of your hair- it matches._ Seth shook. No- he didn't want to have that in his mind when he died. He wanted...he wanted her. He wanted to know the fact that she was safe; that she was alright. He wanted to know that he hadn't failed; that his death wasn't all in vain.

"Having a bit of trouble?" A booted toe came into vision. "How about I assist you?" A hand grabbed him by the neck and hauled him upward. Seth's eyes locked onto Raef's pale orbs one last time before there was a sickening thud.

Pain.

Seth looked down out of impulse. Silver glimmered back almost mischievously, as if trying to stuff in one last horrible mockery of his life, from its resting place through his chest. Black spots swam before his eyes.

_Aquamarine hair._

He was fading.

_Aquamarine eyes._

He wanted something…

_Brilliant smile._

He couldn't seem to remember now.

_Princess of Renais._

He remembered.

_Eir -Eir…_

He fell into darkness.

_EIRIKA!_

Raef smirked as his prey's head slumped forward limply before yanking his sword out. Releasing the body, he let it fall to the ground heavily, head thudding hard against the stone. "That was for getting me annoyed in the very beginning."

He turned around and sighed. "What to do, what to do…ah!" Running out of the cell, he grabbed the corpses of the guards and dragged them into the cell. "Thanks for the keys, chaps. Helped greatly, you know." Satisfied with his work, Raef gazed around the cell. Blood was splattered everywhere- hopefully, someone who came in would think some sort of great struggle had occurred. Then, he walked over to a nearby door that he knew led to the execution grounds. Unlocking it, Raef pushed it open before going back and dragging Seth's body out the door into the cool night air. A hooded figure already awaited him.

"You have the package, yes?" The figure grated.

"Of course I do," Raef said irritably. "I have Lord Riev's complete trust- there is no way I would fail him."

"Fine. This way." The figure headed into the woods. Raef growled angrily before following.

* * *

"Excellent work, Raef. I knew I could trust you." Riev stood in the center of a large white room, a long steel table before him.

"My loyalty will never be in question," Raef replied. "I have the package." He dumped his load heavily onto the table.

Riev's mouth stretched into what could possibly be a grin as he looked down. "Yes, yes- your skill shows, Raef. I am proud."

"Thank you, my lord." Raef bowed deeply.

"You are dismissed. I trust you have a back up plan?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. Now go before you arouse too much suspicion."

* * *

When Fen, the man who was supposed to be on guard duty in the morning, got down to the dungeons, he took one look at the carnage inside the third cell to the right and went running to signal the alarm. Soon, the entire garrison was packed into the dank cells below, trying to find some sort of starting point for an investigation.

And then someone noticed the open door and ran outside it. Immediately, everyone else did as well. Typical lemming behavior, but then again, these men weren't exactly the brightest. The set of foot-or boot-prints went directly into the forest, someone noticed. Another suggested searching for the missing prisoner. They milled about for several minutes before there was the sound of footsteps, and Raef stumbled out of the forest, looking tired, dirty, and incredibly blood-splattered.

They bombarded him with questions- where had the Silver Knight gone? What had happened to the guards? Had he found the missing prisoner? How did he get so messed up? Raef waved off all questions until he managed to find his breath- or at least pretended to. He then told them his tale: he had been taking a midnight stroll, having been unable to sleep, when he had heard sounds from the dungeons. Running back to his room, he had grabbed his sword and headed down to discover the battle already finished, and the Silver Knight, missing. Raef had then seen the open door and proceeded to give chase, although by the time he had gotten out there, the trail had gone cold once it hit the forest, and Seth was no where to be found. Wearily, he told them that someone was going to have to report this- no need for investigation, of course. Seth would probably die anyway- the man was half-dead and judging from the blood, injured as well.

In the excitement, everyone forgot to ask how Raef had gotten so bloody. Of course, Raef never brought it up.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the first cell to the right, a slight man sighed and wondered why the world could be so ironic. Closing his eyes, the man retreated further into his hooded robe and slipped into a meditative trance. (1)

* * *

Riev giggled as he began to work on his project. Mixing various liquids, he poured it into a vial and held it up for inspection, Raef's last words before leaving still ringing in his ear:

"_Lord Riev- I have a small request."_

"_And what would that be, hm?"_

"_When you're finished, I want a rematch."_

To Be Continued…

Notes:

(1) Kudos to any of you who figure out who's making a cameo in this chapter.

A/N: I have but one request other than reviewing: please do not ask me things related to Seth and this chapter and/or complain about me killing Seth. I will inevitably spoil the plot.


	7. Eirika Part III

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

In Renais, a certain family lived on a farm. There was nothing special about this farm, from the pigs, which were just pigs, to the rooster, who was just a rooster. None of the men, or women, for that matter, on the farm had ever done any heroic deed for the good of mankind. In fact, the most they could add to their name was that their family had managed to continue living off of the same little plot of land for generations. 

Of course, all of this was lost on Novala, shaman and aspiring general of Grado. To him, this farm, which had been carefully maintained for years, was nothing but property to be conquered, or perhaps an obstacle in his way. So as his troops rushed in and buildings burned, Novala did not feel any remorse or any emotion at all. He didn't even notice that his men had brought the occupants of that farm before him until one of them coughed politely and said, "Sir."

"What?" Novala looked down in irritation. "What do you want?"

"Sir- we've…brought what you requested."

"Did I now?" Novala asked with a smile. He regarded the scared family of three before him. "Excellent. Keep them somewhere secure until we reach Grado."

"Yes sir!" His bait was marched away, crying and screaming.

Ah, how he loved people when they pleaded for mercy.

* * *

"We've reached Grado," Franz announced.

Eirika looked around. "I've been to this country several times, and never once have I seen it with such a dismal outlook. I admit that all of my previous impressions have been blown away. It bewilders me."

"This is war," Franz reminded her gently. I don't know about you, Princess, but I'm getting a pretty sad feeling too."

She smiled. "Thank you, Sir Franz."

He motioned forward. "Shall we continue?" Already she could see the rest of the troops looking back, puzzled over their leader's hesitance. Eirika took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Two men very dear to her were here. Would it be long before their reunion?

"Yes- let's go, Franz. We have people who need our help!" Eirika began walking resolutely forward, and Franz followed her, managing to fall in step with his princess.

To him, there was no doubt as to which people Eirika wanted to aid.

* * *

"Our men are in place, and a fog is currently approaching, sir. Should we abandon our posts or proceed with our plan?" Novala fixed a blank stare on his vice captain.

"Of course not. Proceed. The fog will cover us. Besides, nothing will ruin our plan. I have the needed…_leverage_." He laughed quietly. The laugh faded a moment later when an all-too-familiar warp circle appeared.

"Ah, Novala, my trusted vassal- how do you fare?" Novala bowed, but only for a second.

"What a pleasant surprise…General Riev." That "general" section- how he hated saying it. _Soon- soon I will be the one with the titles._

"Yes, yes- I took time out of my precious project to come and check on you. So I hear you will retrieve Eirika's bracelet? And what of her brother, hm? Last I heard, he was marching for Renvall. Shouldn't you be more concerned with the larger threat at hand?"

Novala scowled under his cloak. "I have received word that General Valter will dispose of the prince and his little gang. I have been hunting Eirika for too long now. She is almost in our clutches, sir."

"Ah, that's right. General Valter and his famous…_disposition_ towards his targets. I should have known." Riev smiled mischievously.

"Sir?" Novala asked. For once, he was confused. Then again, not much was known about Valter, and Riev rarely disclosed information he did not deem necessary to be revealed.

"Nothing that you need be concerned with, Novala. Focus on the task at hand. I would be more worried with Eirika and her bag of surprises than General Valter."

"Yes, sir," Novala replied sullenly. He was not a child- and yet Riev _insisted_ on addressing him like one. It irked him immensely. _Is there anything I actually admire about Riev? Of course not. Tch- this is annoying. See, Novala? This is why you must move up._

"Very well, I shall be off. My project awaits me." Riev said, acting as if he had not noticed the hint of mutiny in Novala's response. "I will await the fruits of your labor."

"And I yours," Novala intoned. With a flash, Riev teleported away, leaving Novala to glare angrily at the spot where his superior had just vanished. With a wave of his hand, he blasted the patch of ground with a spell. There. His ego was satisfied. "Stupid old man- soon I will be the one giving orders around here."

He stalked off to go begin his plan. Today was his day of glory, and nothing would prevent his attainment of his wishes. Today he would show everyone just what they were missing out on.

Walking up to the cage that held his precious bait, Novala removed the keys from within the folds of his cloak and carefully unlocked the door.

"Men," he said quietly, without turning around. "Take these two"-he gestured to the woman and man-"to the forest, and _leave them there_. Do not remain with them- you may tie them to a tree for all I care. There will be no need to guard anyone in that forest. I want you all to immediately return to your posts after. Do I make myself clear?" The chorus of "yes sir" was music to his ears. Novala looked down into the cage.

"You are the only one left, no?" The scared little girl before him regarded him with huge eyes that were filled with tears. She sniffled and one juicy tear slid down her face.

"Pathetic," he said, sneering. "Come." Novala grabbed her roughly by the arm. "I still have some use for you before your life ends."

He walked up to the top of a hill and looked down to see a small group of people moving slowly toward his direction. Novala smiled. They were here. Making sure that his bait was still in grasp, he warped and laughed at the familiar rush of dark magic.

* * *

Eirika was about to stop everyone and make camp for the night- after all, with this fog, they would get nowhere- when an unfamiliar symbol appeared on the ground before her.

"Sir Franz," she called, "what is this-?" A flash of black came across her vision, and Eirika leaped back as a blob of magic exploded in the space she had only five seconds ago occupied.

"Well, well- it seems you don't play the damsel in distress very well, Princess Eirika of Renais." A hooded figure suddenly appeared out of the symbol. Eirika stared at the strange man- all she could make out from under the broad hood was a narrow chin and a long nose. The man's eyes were covered in shadow. "That makes this all the more interesting."

"Who are you?" Eirika demanded. "What do you want?" Instinctively, she drew the rapier she carried at her side, grasping it in her right hand. The point was but a few feet away from the tip of her mysterious visitor's hood. Eirika heard the distinct noise of another sword being drawn; out of the corner of her eye, she saw Franz shakily aiming his sword blade at this stranger as well.

"What else?" Even though Eirika could not see his eyes, she knew that a piercing gaze was being aimed at her wrist. She looked down to see her bracelet blinking back at her.

"You want…my bracelet?" she asked. It seemed to Eirika that an awful lot of people were after this tiny trinket of hers lately. Of course, Colm had just been after it for the monetary value, but all the same…

"Yes. Give it to me, and perhaps I'll spare you from the worst of what awaits you for defying Grado." One pale hand reached out from the depths of the cloak and beckoned for her to remove the bracelet. "The first demand always has the least painful repercussions attached to it, you know," the man's voice said playfully. "Betrayal is made less when it comes fast. You don't have time to consider bonds, or friendships." She could feel his gaze sweep over to Franz. "…or loyalties, even."

At the very mention of the word, Eirika flared up. "You know nothing of loyalties," she hissed, "and that is why you make such a mockery of it." The sword flew through the air to land right next to the man's neck. "I will do no such thing. I will never give you my bracelet."

"So sure?" the man purred.

"Yes." Eirika took a confident step forward. "I will kill you before you ever take my bracelet. And if I fail to, the rest of my men will do the deed for me." Her eyes, which were usually so kind, were now icy and cold. Franz inhaled sharply. Who was this Princess Eirika? It seemed as if she had been taken over by some sort of descending manner that reminded him more of their foes than the princess.

"Princess, are you really sure you should be- ?" The knight began.

"Sir Franz, I'm sorry, but I must ask you to leave this to me. Please do not interfere."

"Princess…?"

"That's an order."

He heard the steel in her voice, and sheathed his sword, backing up several paces. The princess and the hooded man were still within sight,

"So cold," the voice observed, sounding slightly amused. "This change in manner- what was it that brought this to light? Was it your father's death? Your brother's disappearance? Or perhaps was it…" – here the man paused for dramatic effect- "your failure to save that which protected and cared for you the most?"

Eirika gasped. "You foul serpent! You have said enough! How DARE you use Seth's memory for your own twisted games!" She thrust the rapier forward, clearly intending to stab the shaman's heart. Novala hastily withdrew his outstretched hand and reached out with the other, carrying his precious leverage with it.

Eyes widening in shock, Eirika barely managed to slow her thrust, and stopped five inches from running the young girl through the forehead. The girl sniffled, and then began crying her eyes out on the sight of death staring her in the face.

"You…you…"

"Yes, me," the man cackled. "Know this, Eirika of Renais- I am Novala, soon-to-be general of Grado. Hand over the bracelet, or forever let this young girl's death be on your hands." His mouth curved into a vicious grin as Eirika shakily lowered the rapier point, eyes wide with horror.

"You wouldn't dare…" The princess whispered.

"Oh, but I would," Novala hissed back. One claw-like hand rose, and an orb of darkness began growing from his fingertips. "You'll find that I usually enjoy the long and slow deaths rather than the swift and painless ones. I hope you don't mind." The dark blob began inching closer and closer to the girl's face, who screamed and tried to escape from Novala's firm grasp.

Eirika could not take it anymore. "Stop! I…I relent." She undid the clasp of the bracelet and dangled it in front of Novala's face. "I will give you what you want, but please, just let her go."

"No!" Franz mouthed, and he began running forward, only to remember that Eirika had ordered him to stay out of the confrontation. However, some gut instinct told him that this man would hold no promises. He was about a yard or two away when the magic growing in Novala's hand vanished and the appendage moved to snatch the glittering object from Eirika's grasp.

He was too late.

"See princess? That wasn't so hard. I'm sure this young girl will thank you for saving her life later…as she meets her fate as a spider's dinner!" The teleportation emblem glowed beneath the girl's feet, and she vanished.

"No!" Eirika lunged forward, only to be met with thin air. "You- you-!"

Novala laughed. "Princess, your heart may have hardened to the point where you will willingly draw, but you still have much to learn about the art of negotiation. I'm sure your precious Silver Knight would not have fallen for such an old trick."

Eirika snapped. "You WILL bring her back!" The rapier tip plunged downward.

Novala teleported, reappearing several feet away. "My, my- feisty, aren't we? Well, Princess- I do love a challenge. Come and find me, and perhaps we'll play for a while." He disappeared into the fog.

"Blast!" Eirika plunged her rapier into the ground. Franz stared. This- this couldn't be her! The Princess Eirika he knew was the shining example of kindness, not this battle-hardened warrior.

"Sir Franz- we cannot allow that man to get away. My bracelet also needs to be retrieved."

"Princess, there is a fog coming through. We'll never make any headway in these sorts of conditions." Hopefully she would cease this fury and calm down…

"There are innocent citizens out there about to be killed in cold blood, Sir Franz. I cannot stand idly by." Or not, judging by the glare she had just given him.

"Uhm…" For a fleeting moment, Franz wondered if General Seth would have allowed Eirika to get like this. _Probably not_, he thought miserably. "Your orders, Princess?"

"I want everyone out and armed. Send any swift units over to the forests and save the citizens, and keep those with good vision in this weather out in front. I want full visibility."

Franz bowed. "I will see to them, Princess." He walked off, shaken.

Eirika took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry, Franz," she whispered sadly to his retreating figure, "but you must understand. I've come to see that in this situation, I cannot afford to be gentle and naïve anymore."

Guilt arose, for she knew that Seth would surely have killed himself if he had let his princess fall so freely from protocol's demands.

* * *

"Muster the troops," Novala said with a lick of his lips. "The princess is coming to play."

"Yes sir!"

Novala fingered the gleaming band currently around his bony wrist. Yes, today really was his day of glory.

"Let them come in range before attacking."

* * *

Eirika swung her rapier with a vicious cry, a grim look on her face as her attacker dropped. Dashing towards the clearing that her instincts knew Novala to be, she noted out of the corner of her eye the flash of wings moving towards the trees in the distance. That would be Lady Vanessa, moving directly as she had asked.

"Cover me!" Franz's ear pricked at the sound of the princess's cry, and he moved, smashing an archer aside with his lance as Eirika ran for…a foggy patch?

"Wait- Princess- no! Don't go…!" The sentence died when he saw a sudden surge of darkness engulf the ground not more than three paces away.

"Found you!"

Franz had the urge to pray.

* * *

Novala whirled around, outraged. How had his magic missed? She had been right there!

"Ergh…" He growled with frustration.

"I've found you at last," Eirika said. "Now return my bracelet."

Novala chuckled. "After all the hard work I did to procure it? No is my answer, Princess. Besides, did we not have a deal?"

Her voice was taut and angry. "Our 'deal' was nullified the instant you decided to kill that girl."

"I'm afraid, Princess, that even if our deal is off, I still cannot return your bauble. The empire has need of it, and I in need of a promotion. Do you understand?"

"You pathetic man," Eirika spat, "your motives would not move anyone to promote you."

"Yes, well, but add in my capture of one renegade princess and perhaps you'll begin to see the equation can only equal power."

She responded by charging. He gestured and smirked as she narrowly dodged his Flux spell. Another flick of his wrist, this one nicking her shoulder.

"Having some trouble, Princess?"

Eirika was about to shoot off something terribly un-ladylike when her conscience asked her if this was really what she wanted to turn herself into.

No, she didn't. She hated being someone other than Eirika. But- she had to, right?

_Seth didn't._ That put the stake through it. Taking a deep breath, Eirika calmed herself. "I wouldn't be so confident if I were you."

"Really? How amusing." She threw herself out of the way of another spell before throwing the rapier directly at the shaman, its point plunging into the center of the Flux tome. Novala let out a shriek of fury as his tome wilted in his hands and let go of the burning remnants, Eirika's rapier melting into a pool of molten silver.

He hastily composed himself. "You may have managed to dispose of my magic, but now you have no sword, and my men are all around you." Novala grinned evilly for added effect.

Eirika noted the sounds of hooves behind her, and out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of green armor. She'd take the chance. "A weapon is in order, Sir Franz," she called. "Sword preferred."

**Zzthunk!**

Eirika yanked the blade out of the ground where it had landed point-first and leveled it at Novala. "A lack of foresight on your part, I believe," she said, as Novala cowered before her.

To Novala, it felt as if his death warrant had been sealed.

"No! Please, spare me! Mercy, I beg you!" He fell to his feet. Eirika placed her sword tip by his throat.

"Do you really deserve such a thing? You, who willingly sent innocents to their deaths for amusement?" She regarded him coldly, but then softened. "Consider yourself lucky."

Novala, completely forgetting himself, sighed in relief. "Thank you. I shall- I shall-" He never quite finished that sentence, as Eirika smashed the flat of her sword into the side of his head. The shaman fell to the ground, unconscious, just as Franz rode up to her side.

"Princess! Lady Vanessa has managed to rescue all of the hostages in the woods. No casualties, but we do have some injuries. I'm afraid Ross was hit in the head rather hard with the butt of a throwing axe…"

Eirika nodded her approval. "Good. Take this man into custody. He may have some information that will prove useful to perhaps finding my brother or Seth." She pointed at Novala's prone form.

"Milady." Franz bowed, and then stopped to pick up the shaman, throwing him over the saddle of his horse.

"One second please, Sir Franz." Eirika threw out a hand to halt the knight as she walked over to Novala's wrist, which was dangling over the side. Carefully unclipping her bracelet, Eirika held out his sword to him. "Thank you, Sir Franz. That was an excellent throw."

Franz blushed as he took the sword by the hilt and sheathed it. "You're welcome, Princess. Although,"- he looked at the molten metal that had once been her rapier- "we're going to have to get you a new weapon."

Eirika smiled. "Definitely. I will see you back at camp." Franz looked at her hesitantly, waiting for her to climb on behind him, until finally Eirika made a small gesture with her hand. "Go on. I won't be long."

She waited until he had left to clip the bracelet back on. It was time to move forward and hold true to her oath. The depths of Grado lay before her.

And that sword throw? From now on, usage would definitely be upped.

* * *

It awoke for only a second. The world was still coming into perspective before a hypnotic voice sang to it, "Not yet, love," and it was slammed back into unconsciousness.

_To Be Continued…_

A/N: And here I will apologize profusely for taking so long. School and the like had me pretty busy. But! I have written more this time, and please, please, please don't just ignore the Eirika sections. I know she's acting a little rougher than in-game, but I think that with Seth gone, Eirika has had to toughen up a bit, considering that Franz is still learning a bit too. If you don't like the characterization, I do apologize.


	8. Renvall

No, I have not vanished off the face of the planet, and I do apologize for the long wait. Hopefully Ephraim's appearance makes up for it?

* * *

"General Valter, a messenger has arrived from Grado Keep for you," a soldier called. He was careful to stay away from the entryway. 

The Moonstone stalked out of his tent, looking extremely bored. "What has Raef done? Blown up the whole damn castle?"

The soldier, refusing to open his mouth in order to preserve his life a little longer, shoved the messenger towards Valter, who nearly fell over but managed to meet Valter's eyes. "No, sir…he-well, he sent you a letter…" The messenger quickly handed the letter in question to Valter before taking a few steps back out of Valter's arm reach.

"Greetings…hope you are well…yes, yes, get on with it man…" Valter's eyes scanned the parchment quickly. "I do apologize but…WHAT?! WHAT?!" Valter stopped, rereading the line three times before ripping the paper to shreds.

"That godforsaken bastard! What the hell did he think he was doing?! DAMNIT!" Valter seethed.

"Sir, would this happen to do with the Sil-" That was as far as the soldier got before Valter's hand snaked around his neck and squeezed. There was an audible snap.

"_No talking_," Valter hissed. "_That's an order._" He let the man's corpse slide to the ground. "Someone clean that up." Two other soldiers immediately snapped to attention and lifted the body up and away.

"Sir?" The messenger asked timidly.

"What the hell are you still doing here?" Valter demanded. "Go back and tell Raef that he will be answering to me once I get back."

The man stood there, shaking.

"You bastard! Get moving, damnit! GO!" The messenger needed no second warning; he sprinted out of the camp.

Valter stalked back into the tent, calling behind him, "Muster the troops- we're moving out of this damn place!" Now in a foul mood, the general knew that nothing save killing Ephraim would make him feel better.

* * *

"Are you ready?" The young blue-haired man stood aloofly, watching with a tinge of impatience as his men wearily gathered belongings and doused the small cooking fire. 

"Prince Ephraim- with all due respect, I do not believe we should go through with this plan- it's just too risky, and if you were to be captured, morale would plummet, as would any remaining chance to stop Grado," a serious-looking cavalier said as he unhitched his horse's reins.

"Kyle- if we do not march on Renvall, there will be no other chance," Ephraim said patiently. "I have already explained that there is no way in hell that we can do anything else. We're already in too far; if we try to back out now, we will die. It's that simple."

"But sir-" The prince cut off Kyle's protest with a dismissive hand.

"I'm telling you- I don't pick fights that I can't win," Ephraim said for about the umpteenth time that day. "We will win. You have my word."

"That's our prince," Forde proclaimed. "Always got confidence to spare, eh?" He laughed.

Kyle, on the other hand, frowned and was about to reprimand his prince's seemingly rash behavior when a brown-haired knight plunged out of the surrounding foliage.

"Report, sir," Orson gasped out as he caught his breath. "No one following us, by the looks of it."

Ephraim nodded. "Thank you, Orson." He cast a critical eye at the knight. "Are you rested enough? I know that your injuries are still not yet healed."

"No, no…I'm fine." Orson nearly fell over as Forde gave him a "pat" on the back and an encouraging "That's the spirit!"

"Right then. Move out." Ephraim turned and began striding quickly out of the clearing.

* * *

Tirado smoothed his hair back and adopted a somewhat relaxed pose in his chair before the doors flew open and the herald announced "General Valter, sir!" In seconds, his general's pale eyes were staring him in the face, nearly inches away from the tip of his nose. Valter's breath, sickly sweet, hit him like a ballistae bolt. 

"Tirado- what's this I hear about you losing the prince, hm?" The man asked huskily. "All those troops- Emperor Vigarde is very displeased, displeased enough to send me out here to deal with your little _problem_."

"My lord- sir- ahem"-Tirado cleared his throat-"Prince Ephraim has been pressuring us. He is a tactical genius in all regards, sir. I will catch him- in fact, you've arrived just in time for the show."

"Oh really?" The Moonstone's eyebrow rose. "You plan to capture Ephraim after failing so many times before?"

"Yes- I have worked long and hard on this plan. We will lure the prince into the castle and then surround him. With only three men at his disposal, we can quickly force the prince to surrender."

"Hn," Valter sounded unconvinced.

Tirado rose out of the seat and kneeled elegantly before Valter. "Put your trust in my plan and your faith in my men, sire."

"Tch. Stop posturing like a dog," Valter said with a hint of distaste. "You have gained neither, Tirado. You are my most loyal aide- I expect you to succeed. If not, well…there are always those to replace you." The gleam in the Moonstone's eyes confirmed that this was not an empty threat.

"Yes, sire." Standing up and then bowing slightly, Tirado turned and began barking orders. In a matter of hours, Renvall lay deserted, save for a few select men who had been scattered haphazardly throughout the interior so as to create a semblance of defense. The rest of the main force was currently hidden in the brush surrounding the fort, awaiting Tirado's signal to move in. With several hundred strong, there would be no escape for the wily prince and his band. Tirado smirked before casting a quick glance at his superior. Valter appeared blank and slightly bored, stroking his wyvern's snout while waiting for the arrival of his prey.

It was almost like watching a sort of play or drama unfold as he watched the prince sneak into the castle. He waited anxiously, nearly bouncing. Finally, Valter could not keep still. "Tirado- keep the men outside. I'm going in."

"What?" Tirado looked up in shock. "But sir-! I- we need to wait!"

"This is your superior's orders. Don't argue." Valter gave him a bone-chilling look before mounting his wyvern and flying off for Renvall.

* * *

Ephraim stood triumphantly over the body of the slain swordsman who had been the last to fall. "We've done it, men. Renvall is ours." 

"An excellent campaign," Orson said, nodding his head. Although his lance had snapped in two against a knight's armored shell, he'd still managed to use the pole to smash several mages about the head.

Forde nudged Kyle hard in the arm. "See there? No need for all that fuss, huh? Told you the prince knew what he was doing."

"Still…" Kyle sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Ah, come on- can't admit you're wrong, huh?"

"Shut it," the stoic knight snapped.

"My words exactly- well said sir knight," a silky voice purred from the entryway as four heads whipped around; Kyle, Forde, and Orson immediately convening around Ephraim.

"Who are you?" Orson demanded roughly.

"Valter Moonstone, general of Grado- the pleasure is mine," Valter bowed mockingly and then smiled, clearly expecting a return in civility.

"What does a dog of Grado want with me?" Ephraim demanded. "Are you going to bring me in as some sort of prize? I'll kill you before hand and save you the trouble of the escort."

Valter ignored Ephraim's threat. "And this is the missing prince of Renais?" His eyes swept through the barrier of knights. "You look absolutely delicious. Cutting you down WILL be a pleasure." On a reflex, the Moonstone licked his lips.

"You're sick," Forde said in disgust. "And if you think we're going to just let you kill our prince with just a 'here you go!' from us, you've been hitting the bottle a little bit too much."

"You wound me!" Valter exclaimed, holding a hand to his heart in mock distress. "I almost feel too repulsed to kill you, but sadly I can't deny myself." He moved out of the shadows, twirling a lance. "I've heard you are quite the master of the lance, young Ephraim. Why don't we settle this problem in the manly fashion- tête-à-tête, eh?"

Ephraim eyed Valter suspiciously. "How do I know this isn't a trick?"

Valter spread his arms wide. "I've brought no other men with me; my wyvern is outside the castle. I am alone. What more can I say to sway you? All I desire is a fight- a fight that ends in your death or mine, although it'll probably end in yours," he ended, chuckling.

"Prince Ephraim," Kyle began, "we really can't afford-"

"I accept your offer," Ephraim said before Kyle could finish what he was about to say. "My knights will oversee the match."

"Excellent! I knew that you were truly a man of great honor," Valter said brightly. "I will even let you have a second if you so wish," he added.

"No," Ephraim said shortly. "I'll handle this myself. It'll be fair."

"Fair it is." Valter nodded sagely. "Now just have your man say the word then…"

"Prince Ephraim, I don't think you should…" This time it was Orson who stepped forward.

Valter smiled. "Thank you, kind sir, for taking the initiative."

Ephraim had only a split second to comprehend Valter's meaning before the man rushed him. Throwing up Reginleif's point only just in time, the prince growled, "That was dirty!"

"Perfectly fair, prince- after all, all your man had to do was say a word. He said a word, and plenty of them, I might say." Valter said, sending a flurry of jabs at Ephraim. The prince blocked them all, and the two locked spears like one would in a swordfight. "Might I mention that your sister is currently on her way here, to try to enact some hare-brained rescue attempt?"

"Eirika?" Ephraim asked in disbelief. "You lie," he said rigidly. "General Seth would never allow her to do such a thing."

"Ah, but General Seth is not riding at her side." Valter purred, pushing Ephraim back and then jabbing again as the prince tried to recover.

"Your lies will avail to nothing," Ephraim said, shoving Valter back in retaliation as he blocked the man's thrust. "Seth would never allow himself to be captured."

"Would you be surprised to know that I was the one who broke that precedent?" Valter asked innocently, sidestepping Ephraim's spear point. "A shame, really. He broke quite easily. I doubt you could even piece together the remnants that I left in Grado."

The prince, realizing exactly what Valter was talking about, let out a frustrated yell and swept his lance to the side, managing to cut into Valter's arm.

"I'll kill you," Ephraim said hoarsely.

"I'd like to see you try," Valter retorted, licking the blood falling from the scratch.

The two clashed again and retreated, each circling one another, searching for an opening.

"I don't know how this looks," Kyle muttered.

"Oh don't be such a worry wart," Forde said, giving his fellow cavalier a small punch on the arm. "Look, the prince has got him on the run completely. That Valter fellow's no match for Renais's finest! Wouldn't you agree, Sir Orson?" He looked to the older man, clearly expecting support.

"That man…" Orson murmured. "Did he really…?"

"Come again?" Both cavaliers asked at the same time.

"What?" Orson looked startled, blinking slightly as he stared at Forde and Kyle. They stayed locked in a staring contest for a matter of seconds before Orson's brain finally reacted. "Oh! Oh- I was just remembering what that man had said about General Seth."

"My point exactly," Kyle said quickly to Forde. "This 'Valter' claims to have taken down the general. There is absolutely no way that the prince can have him 'on the run'. I mean, look!" Kyle waved a hand in the duel's general direction.

"Ouch," Forde said, wincing. "That's gotta hurt."

Kyle whirled around to see Ephraim collapse to the ground with a pain-filled yell. "What just happened?" he asked numbly.

"You're really bad luck, Kyle," Forde said. "I mean, right when you pointed Valter played the not-so-chivalrous card."

"He didn't…!" Kyle asked, jaw dropping.

"Yeah," Forde growled. "Hit him smack-dab in the nether regions. Trust Grado to play dirty."

"That godforsaken-!" Kyle reached for his lance in order to run to his prince's aid, but found that someone had already beaten him to it. "Sir Orson- wait! You haven't-!" Too late: Orson had dashed off toward his fallen liege lord. "…got a lance," Kyle finished quietly.

"Latona- you're right!" Forde smacked his forehead with his hand. "Stupid idiot forgets that he's broken his lance already! He hasn't even gotten a pole!" It was true; Orson had dropped the point-less spear in his desperation.

"Ugh, you bas…tard…" Ephraim gasped out. One hand scrambled for Reginleif only to find the spear kicked away as Valter leered down at him.

"Name-calling as your last words? How immature," the general scolded gleefully. "Oh well. Thank you for the fight." He raised his lance…

…only to drop it when Orson's fist collided with the side of his head.

"Gah!" Valter skidded several feet before managing to stand up, one hand to his head. "Son of a-!"

"Save the insults for later," Orson spat, cutting off Valter's curse.

"What the hell…are you…doing?" Ephraim demanded, groin still aching.

"I'm your second," Orson said without looking down at the prince.

"If I recall," Valter hissed, "_Prince Ephraim stated that he would have no second._"

Orson stood firm. "The prince is in no condition to continue this duel. I may not be as skilled as he, but I offer myself as a substitute until he recovers."

Kyle and Forde, both of whom had nearly drawn their swords and gone after Valter themselves, stopped dead.

"What the hell _is_ he doing?" Forde muttered. "He sounds like he's going to be bloody sacrificed!" Kyle shrugged, having thought the exact same things.

Valter's face contorted in rage. "I have no desire to fight some half-baked knight. You are not the prey I seek."

Orson frowned. "Then I think you'd best leave, before I say the word to begin." His dry sarcasm was evidently noticed by Valter, who growled.

"Trying to mock me, you bastard?" Valter asked. "Fine. I'll give you 'substitute'. Fine." He picked up his lance from where it had fallen. "You're going to learn what happens to those who try to toy with me." He spat directly onto the tile in front of Orson's feet.

Orson drew his sword slowly, swinging it into a defensive position. _I'm going to have to make sure I don't slip on that…stuff _he noted. Keeping his expression neutral, the knight awaited Valter's move. With Ephraim out of commission and with the knowledge of Valter's previous dirty moves, Orson knew that leaving the prince unguarded would be a gateway for disaster. Ensuring the prince's survival would have to be his main goal.

"Get ready, little knight," Valter taunted. "I'm going to--" The rest of what the Moonstone would have said was quickly forgotten as a familiar sword landed five inches away from his foot. "What the-?" Valter spun around.

"You almost got him, Princess," Forde called. "Missed by a few inches." He grinned and lowered his voice. "Wonder who taught her that, eh?" Kyle shrugged.

"I won't miss next time," said princess announced from the entryway.

"Princess?" Valter looked furious as he yanked Eirika's newly minted rapier out of the ground. "_Princess_?" Throwing it to the side, Valter was about switch targets when someone coughed politely behind him.

"Walking away from our duel?" Orson asked.

"Go crawl into a corner," Valter replied. "I've got better things to do than deal with the likes of you right now."

"Step aside, Orson," a hoarse voice called from behind him. "This is my duel. I'm going to kill this man. Step aside."

"Prince Ephraim, are you sure you're…?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Ephraim snapped, picking up Reginleif. His face was bright red. "I don't want to let my sister see me writhing on the ground. She'll get ideas," he muttered into the knight's ear as he passed. Orson nearly snorted.

"Brother, you clearly are not in condition to fight," Eirika said, running over. "I saw you doubled over on the ground. Please don't fake that you're alright…"

_So much for saving face_ Ephraim thought savagely. "No. I'm fine. I'll handle this, Eirika."

"Hurry up, hurry up." Valter yawned. "I haven't got all day, you know. Only so long until my aide decides to launch his own scheme…"

"Oh, you mean that Tirado fellow?" Eirika inquired. "He's not in any sort of condition to be launching schemes right now. My troops saw to that." Valter glared at the small band of ragtag troops standing in the entryway. One of them, a blue-haired scuffy-looking fellow, gave him a thumbs up as Valter's eyes swept over him.

"Very clever," Valter said scathingly. "It looks like good has won the day, hasn't it?"

"It certainly has," Ephraim said. "Now we're going to settle this once and for all."

"I don't think so. This suddenly has gotten very boring, and I have no intention of sitting around waiting for you to all finish your heroic little speeches," Valter said. He gave a sharp whistle. In a matter of seconds, his wyvern had crashed through the ceiling.

Grabbing Ephraim about the waist, Orson threw him to the ground as a piece of plaster soared over their heads. Over the commotion, he could dimly hear Franz- or was it Forde?- bellowing, "Take cover!"

The entire castle shuddered with the impact, and in a matter of seconds Valter had brazenly hopped on his steed and taken flight. "Knight!" he bellowed, "we'll settle our score later! Just you wait- you'll end up just like your dear general!"

Coughing, Ephraim managed to stagger to his feet as dust billowed around him. "That coward," he hacked out, "he got away."

"There'll always be next time, milord," Forde said encouragingly.

"Right…next time," Ephraim muttered. He saw a flash of aquamarine hair on the ground and ran over to his sister. "Eirika! Are you well?"

Eirika coughed, but managed to stand without the aid of her brother. "Never better, brother," she said weakly. "I've been looking for you," Eirika added, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"I didn't expect you to find me so dramatically though," Ephraim replied, laughing. "You've gotten wilder since my departure."

As Eirika laughed along with her brother, and the troops began the long process of introductions and reunions, no one noticed Orson standing off from the crowd, expression fixed in a deep frown as he mulled over Valter's challenge.

_You'll end up just like your dear general…_


	9. Castle Frelia Part I

After their lopsided victory at Renvall, there was the mutual agreement that they retire to somewhere appropriate in order to assess the situation further. Although Ephraim remained keen on the idea of staying at Renvall- after all, he had won it- his sister expertly drowned the plan by explaining that it was best to head back to Frelia, for Renais was still in Grado's possession, and sitting in the middle of enemy territory was unwise.

And so, a month passed as their small "army" trudged their way back to Castle Frelia. Hayden seemed unsurprised that Ephraim had been found so quickly- a tribute, perhaps, to Frelian intelligence, and added happily that Innes had just returned back as well. A meeting of war was quickly announced, and Eirika soon found herself treading a similar path as she walked down to the meeting room. This time, however, there were no elders, nor was there a Tana comforting her. Instead, she slipped into the seat next to her brother, who nodded to acknowledge her presence.

"Now that we have all arrived, we may begin planning our next course of action. Our intelligence has been working hard, and we have managed to produce results," Hayden announced. "It seems that Grado is after the Sacred Stones. While we see no motive for doing so, it appears that their destruction is Grado's goal."

Eirika stood up quickly. "We recently captured an enemy mage who was very interested in the bracelets my brother and I own. I do not know if there is a connection, but with your intelligence's recent report, I can only conclude that there is."

At this, Ephraim's eyes widened, and he glanced swiftly down at the gleaming piece of jewelry on his wrist before standing up next to his sister. "Recently, my men and I discovered a young girl with wings. Her name is Myrrh, and according to what she has told us, the world has been getting, well, in her words, 'darker'. Myrrh also told us that a foul presence was inside of Grado. This foul presence that she speaks of could possibly be connected to the Sacred Stones." All eyes darted to the small girl in question who was hiding behind Ephraim's chair.

"What Ephraim says…is correct," Myrrh said in an almost-whisper.

"I'm afraid she's a bit shy," Ephraim said by way of apology.

"And so we arrive at the pieces, but have no way of connecting them," Hayden murmured. "I suppose the matter will have to be left for later. In the mean time, we have doubled security at the Tower of Valni. Hopefully that will be able to stave off any attack Grado might make. Now- Innes- what news do you bring?"

Innes made no effort to stand up, remaining in his seat impassively, fingers laced together. "No new reports come from the front. I recently visited Carcino on the pretense of asking for aid. It seems that our neighbor is having a bit of an issue deciding on sides," he added. "We will have to be on our guard. A certain 'Pablo' especially caught my attention." There was a moment's silence before Innes asked irritably, "So? The plan?"

"I plan to storm Grado Keep," the twins chorused. When they realized what they had both just done, Eirika blushed before Ephraim erupted into the typical "What? It's too dangerous!" speech.

"Brother, I understand your cause for concern, but I will not allow you to leave me behind," Eirika said firmly. "I have a…promise I have to keep."

"But you--" Ephraim caught her meaning just in time. "…I see." Eirika gave him a weak smile. "I- that is to say- _we_ will both attempt to cut off the snake's head, so to speak."

"And what of the other nations? Should they not be warned as well?" asked Moulder. "Surely we should send a second party out to accomplish that mission."

"That can be arranged," Hayden replied. "Commander Syrene- would you be willing to take a detachment of our knights and so warn our sister nations of Grado's intentions?"

"I would be more than willing," Syrene said. "Do I have permission to see to your request immediately?" At her liege lord's slight nod, Syrene stood up and departed.

"Knowing our knights' efficiency, they will depart within a matter of hours," Hayden said heavily. "I suppose that solves that particular issue. Anything else we must attend to before we conclude?"

"I see nothing else, Your Highness," said one advisor.

"We can only hope that we have not forgotten anything," added another.

A flicker of relief crossed Hayden's face. "Then we shall end for today. I'm sure many of you have preparations to attend to."

"Indeed," murmured Ephraim as he rose from his seat. Walking out of the chamber and into the sunlit hall outside, he managed to catch Innes doubling back to meet up with his sister just in time. As the two slowly moved into a corner, Ephraim dove behind the nearest pillar. He'd always thought that Innes had fancied Eirika, but now it was time to see if that was truly the case.

"…might have been a rash decision. If you were to come to harm, Ephraim would surely be distressed, as would we all."

"Innes, now you're sounding like Sir Franz. I would not have demanded to go along had I not been sure of my ability to protect myself."

"I have no doubt in your sword arm, Eirika. However, in the slight chance that you _might_ be injured in any way, it would certainly cause regret for—"

"Are you suggesting something deeper, Innes?"

"Not necessarily."

"Your face says otherwise."

"Fine. I admit it- there is indeed 'something deeper' involved, Eirika. I want to—"

A sharp intake of breath nearly gave Ephraim away as Innes stopped short and peered around, frowning.

"Yes, Innes?" Eirika, on the other hand, seemed to have failed to notice his slip.

"I want to come with you two. Yes, I admit I cannot stand by and watch Ephraim take all the glory. However, that did not completely influence my decision. I feel that you both need a more…_rational_ voice; one that does not necessarily abide to the laws of status and society."

"Your skill as well would be most appreciated, Innes. I'm sure my brother won't mind; I know I will not."

Ephraim laughed inwardly at the image of Innes uncharacteristically cheering like a madman at this piece of news.

"Very well then- I will take no more of your time, Eirika. Thank you." The sincerity shone through even though Innes tried to hide it within his usual snide tone.

"You are most welcome." The two departed from their corner, and Innes looked as if he would have liked to escort Eirika to her room, but then changed his mind and walked straight past Ephraim without noticing his rival's presence.

"…Alright, brother. I know you heard us talking. You can stop hiding now," Eirika said, laughing.

"How did you find out?" Ephraim asked, coming out from behind the pillar.

"Brother, pillars do not suddenly breathe. Innes may not have noticed, but I certainly did. Also- your cloak was peeking out as well."

"Am I really that bad at hiding?" Ephraim asked wearily.

"I suppose you are in need of a leaf out of Colm's book," Eirika replied.

"Of course…"

"May I add that, knowing your heated rivalry with Innes, I know you would not pass up any attempt to 'save' me from his so very evil clutches?" Eirika teased.

"You can't blame me for being curious, sister. I'm very protective of you- you deserve only the best," Ephraim said solemnly.

Eirika laughed at his expression. "Only the best, Ephraim? And I suppose we will go by your standard of 'the best'?"

"Naturally- I am the king, and my word is law, oh questioning one."

There was a cough from behind them, and the bantering twins spun around to find Orson, looking as if he'd stumbled upon a forbidden intimate moment. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important." He looked from Ephraim to Eirika. "If I could have a word, prince..."

"Oh no, nothing at all," Ephraim replied as Eirika excused herself, noting the want for privacy. "Just siblings being siblings. What did you need me for, Orson?"

"I need to ask you about something- it concerns our- your mission. I…I have a request that might sound a bit odd."

Ephraim frowned. "The times are odd, Orson, so no request is considered such."

"I would like to ask that I be deployed with Commander Syrene's pegasus knights." Orson said in a rush.

"Why?" The word fell out immediately.

Orson sighed. "Circumstances and certain meetings have led me to believe that Grado might be pursuing me. The reasons I am not sure of, but I do have evidence."

"Explain."

"Some weeks ago, I was approached by a certain man while on night watch. This man claimed to be Riev, a general of Grado. He…wanted me to betray Renais." The last words came out regretfully, as if Orson had already agreed to Riev's deal.

"For what price?" Ephraim asked. "Surely he planned to give you some benefit."

"Riev said that he would resurrect my wife."

"That's insane!" The prince exclaimed. "Everyone knows it's impossible to raise the dead. What sort of madman was this Riev?"

Orson sighed. "That I'm not sure of, but I did refuse his offer. He seemed rather put out, but he left soon after with a few parting words which generally speaking said 'I'll be watching you.' I wouldn't be surprised if he contacted me again."

"Orson, I know your loyalty to Renais is unwavering. Surely you could put this aside and come with us? We need someone with skills like yours."

"I would, but I'm afraid that temptation might be too overwhelming. If I were to go with Lady Syrene, at the very least I would never reveal any of your plans. You and your sister carry our best hope to end this war quickly." Orson replied.

Ephraim looked as if he were developing a headache. "I see. Very well then Orson- you'd best hurry. Syrene will be leaving within the hour- you can ride a pegasus, can you?

Orson looked taken aback. "…What?"

"Well they are going by that particular mode- I don't think your horse can manage to keep up, especially if it comes to…crossing mountains and the like."

"Oh. I…"

Ephraim finished his sentence. "…didn't consider that, hm?"

"I apologize; it must have slipped my mind." The knight blushed.

"Do you still plan on going now, Orson?" Ephraim asked, laughing slightly. "I will deploy you if you insist, but the idea of you figuring out how to ride a pegasus while embarking on an urgent mission is a bit absurd."

"It seems my request has been struck down, and not by either one of us," Orson said. His blush seemed to lessen, but a pink tinge still lay on his cheeks. "Very well; consider my previous words duly eaten. I must have been too hasty in my assessment."

"You think too lowly of yourself- I'm sure you can resist any further offers the man may give."

"Thank you, but just don't tell Forde or Kyle what I just asked for. I'm afraid I still need their respect."

"I won't mention it, Orson," Ephraim said. "Shall we head to dinner?"

"Lead on, milord." The two began walking down the hall when Ephraim suddenly stopped.

"One more thing, Orson, before I drop the matter for the time being: the next time that Riev fellow contacts you, make sure to tell me right away instead of waiting for several months to go by."

"I hear and obey," Orson replied, tongue in cheek.

"That's more like it."

Dinner was its usual affair, but a strange tension seemed to fall upon the preparations for the next day that followed. The energy level was running high, but Ephraim noticed that it seemed to be only those who had been present at the meeting who were unusually excitable. All the members of his sister's previous band acted as if they went on high-risk journeys into the middle of enemy territory all the time, or at least seemed oblivious to the hurrying of everyone else.

Despite the tension, everything was set to go shortly around 2 a.m., at which point everyone had collapsed into bed, unable to run through yet another supplies check. The next morning saw the arrival of the very same anxiety, but nothing really happened until right before they were about to leave. Tana had just asked Eirika to watch out for her brother and Ephraim (especially Ephraim) when a knight stumbled into the courtyard, armor practically unrecognizable through the red that so thoroughly stained it.

"Sir Gilliam!" Hayden exclaimed, fear suddenly clouding his face. "What- how- aren't you supposed to be at the Tower…?"

Gilliam gasped for breath, and it was realized with horror that most of the red staining his armor belonged to him. The knight made to walk toward Hayden, but instead fell to one knee, unable to move any further.

"Grado…attacked…two…generals…overwhelmed completely…" Gilliam rasped.

"Say no more!" Hayden entreated. "Your wounds, Sir Gilliam- we need to—" Gilliam cut him off, using the last bit of his strength to wave his hand.

"Only survivor…I escaped…with…the stone…intention…bring it…to…you…" With those dying words, the man collapsed with a thud, the Sacred Stone of Frelia rolling from his slack grip to stop right before his liege lord's feet. Hayden bent down and slowly picked it up, gazing at the Stone as if it were a harbinger of doom.

"Father," Innes yelled, "there's no time to waste; we must move quickly! The enemy will be sure to—"

A scream rent the air, and from the top of the ramparts the shout went out:

"It's Grado- they're practically at our front door! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

_To be continued…_

A/N: It's been four months, which has got to be my longest hiatus ever. Oh well- I can't really pull that again now that I've left it at an exciting part, can I? Hopefully the story will get moving a lot faster now that I'm over this semi-boring part—these meeting scenes are hard to write! Then again, this is all with school permitting- I'm going to kill myself with my schedule this year. I have to admit I got carried away with some of the dialogue later on though; I hope I didn't make anyone too OOC. (And I'm really sorry for killing off Gilliam…winces)

And yes, my attempt at Innes/Eirika was sort of lame.


End file.
